There could be quite an unexpected sequel to The Blind Side.
Michael A. Fletcher of ESPN.com reports that former NFL left tackle Michael Oher has filed paperwork alleging that the Tuohy family never actually adopted him, and that they instead secured a conservatorship that allowed them to profit, at his expense.
The 18-page petition contends that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy tricked him into signing a document that gave them the authority to make deals for him.
Oher claims that the Tuohys then used that power to sell film rights that paid out millions to the family — while Oher allegedly got nothing. He also contends that Leigh Ann Tuohy has continuously called Oher their adopted son, using this claim to boost their foundation and other projects.
From the court filing: “Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys.”
“Mike’s relationship with the Tuohy family started to decline when he discovered that he was portrayed in the movie as unintelligent,” his attorney, J. Gerard Stranch IV told Fletchet. “Their relationship continued to deteriorate as he learned that he was the only member of the family not receiving royalty checks from the movie, and it was permanently fractured when he realized he wasn’t adopted and a part of the family.”
The allegation that Oher first discovered the truth earlier this year could be a calculated effort to avoid any defenses based on the applicable statute of limitations. And that becomes an important question, as a practical matter. Why did it take so long for this to come to a head legally?
Oher, a first-round pick of the Ravens in 2009, spent five years in Baltimore, starting every game. He then spent one year with the Titans and two with the Panthers. He last played in the NFL in 2016.