Former Michigan Stars File $50 Million Lawsuit Against NCAA Over Name, Image, and Likeness Rights

Detroit — Former Michigan Wolverines star and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards, along with three other former Michigan players, has initiated a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA and Big Ten Network, seeking $50 million in damages. The lawsuit claims that they were unfairly prohibited from monetizing their own name, image, and likeness while playing college football.

The 73-page lawsuit was filed on Tuesday morning in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Edwards, 41, is joined by former Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson, linebacker Shawn Crable, and defensive end Mike Martin. Attorney Jim Acho, who represents the group, emphasized that this lawsuit is not directed at the University of Michigan, but rather at the NCAA, which he accuses of maintaining rules that have harmed players for decades.

“This is about correcting past wrongs,” Acho stated. “The NCAA knew it was wrong to prevent athletes from capitalizing on their own names and images.” The lawsuit comes in the wake of the NCAA relaxing its restrictions in 2021, allowing current athletes to sign sponsorship and endorsement deals.

Edwards and his fellow plaintiffs are part of a larger conversation about how college athletes have been treated. A recent $2.78 billion settlement covered over 400,000 current and former college athletes but only for those who played after January 2016. Edwards, who played from 2001 to 2004, now questions why athletes from earlier eras are excluded.

Robinson, who holds the NCAA record for most rushing yards by a quarterback and was on the cover of the NCAA Football 14 video game, noted that he has never received compensation for it. “It’s not fair what we went through,” Martin remarked, reflecting on the challenges faced by athletes in the past.

All four players went on to have careers in the NFL after their time at Michigan. Edwards was picked third overall in the 2005 NFL Draft and had notable success with the Cleveland Browns and other teams before retiring after the 2012 season. This lawsuit represents a significant step in the ongoing effort to address the issues surrounding athlete compensation and rights in collegiate sports.