Broncos LB Aaron Patrick suing SoFi Stadium, Chargers for ACL injury

In a big piece of off-the-field news involving the LA Chargers, Denver Broncos linebacker Aaron Patrick is suing multiple defendants following an incident in which he suffered a torn ACL during the Week 6 matchup between the Chargers and Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Following a play in which Patrick pursued a wide receiver DeAndre Carter out of bounds, the linebacker’s momentum took him out of the field of play towards a bystander. In an attempt to avoid him, Patrick stuck his left cleat into the ground but instead of being met with the turf, his foot hit a mat lying on the ground. In the replay of the incident, it’s after his foot meets the mat that Patrick’s leg is seen twisting awkwardly before he collides with the bystander.

A press statement sent out by Patrick’s lawyer, William Berman, states that the lawsuit is being filed against the NFL, ESPN, the Los Angeles Chargers franchise, and the Los Angeles Rams ownership group for the incident that led to Patrick’s season-ending injury.

The statement from the San Diego-based attorney says that:

“In the suit, we are challenging the validity of the NFL’s entire 2020-2030 CBA as it relates to its purported arbitration agreement with its players. The suit will pit the players against the NFL and it owners.”

Berman goes on to state:

“The suit alleges that the defendants were negligent in their operations of SOFI STADIUM in allowing a dangerous condition to exist by having three mats placed near the sideline to cover cords/cables that led to the feed for the instant NFL’s replay monitor. While involved in a tackle after a punt during overtime of the game, PATRICK suffered a severe injury to his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (“ACL”) when attempting to tackle CHARGERS Punt Returner DeAndre Carter.

“During the play, PATRICK’s momentum carried him off the field into the sidelines where, while attempting to avoid contact with the NFL’s TV Liaison (known as the “Green Hat”) who monitors television timeouts, he made contact with the Green Hat and then his foot rolled on top of one of the mats that was covering the cables/cords that either someone affiliated with the SOFI STADIUM personnel or the ESPN set-up crew (which broadcasts the league’s MNF games) had placed atop of the artificial turf to cover the electrical cords/cables leading to the NFL’s instant replay monitor.”

The legal filing also refers to a similar case when Reggie Bush suffered a season-ending injury when while playing for the San Francisco 49ers during Week 8 of the 2015-2016 season. Bush was pushed out of bounds during a punt return and slipped upon a concrete strip in the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri, which was then home of the St. Louis Rams. Bush sued the Rams for the “slip-and-fall” incident and was later awarded him $12.5 million in damages from the Rams.