NFL Players’ Disability Class Case Receives Preliminary Approval

A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a proposed nationwide class action settlement involving how certain disability benefit claims were evaluated for former professional football players.

The case focuses on whether race-based adjustments were used when reviewing some cognitive testing results tied to disability benefits.  Beasley Allen was appointed to help lead the nationwide effort alongside Tom Sinclair.

What Was Happening to Players?

At the center of the case is a practice known as “race norming.”

In simple terms, this method adjusted cognitive test scores based on race. Certain calculations assumed Black players started from a lower baseline, which would make it harder to qualify for disability benefits.

Because of this, some former players may not have received the benefits they expected based on their test results.  In 2021, the Plans directed doctors not to use race in these evaluations but did not rescore decisions made prior to that directive.

Now, as part of this proposed settlement, Beasley Allen and co-counsel have worked with the Plans to create a race-neutral process to take a fresh look at certain past evaluations.

A Step Toward Fairness

On June 2, 2026, U.S. District Judge Julie Rebecca Rubin in Baltimore, Maryland, preliminarily approved the class action settlement, allowing the resolution to move forward on behalf of former players whose testing used race-based adjustments.

The court:

• Approved the case as a non-opt-out class action
• Recognized the named plaintiffs as appropriate representatives for the group
• Set a final approval hearing for September 16

This is a key moment—but it’s not the finish line.

What Happens Next & Why It Matters

If the case receives final approval after the upcoming hearing in September, former players’ prior scores will be reassessed without race-based adjustments. This step is critical to understanding who was affected and how much they may be owed.

The full value of the case will not be known until that process is complete.  Each player’s situation will be evaluated based on updated test results, and any changes will depend on the results of those individual reviews.

The proposed settlement is designed to ensure a consistent process going forward while also allowing certain past evaluations to be reviewed under these standards.

While this is an important step, there is still work to be done. If the court grants approval, the legal team will continue guiding the process, including overseeing the review of prior scores and working to make sure any changes in benefits are delivered to eligible players.