Terrelle Pryor sues Ohio State, Big Ten, NCAA over NIL dollars

Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has joined the wave of athletes filing lawsuits over denied NIL dollars. The former Big Ten Freshman of the Year filed a complaint Friday in Ohio federal court, suing Ohio State, the NCAA and the Big Ten.

Pryor joins a growing list of athletes to sue their alma maters. Former USC running back and Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush filed a suit against USC, the Pac-12 and the NCAA last month. Former Michigan football, Kansas basketball and NC State basketball athletes have all filed similar lawsuits.

Pryor argues that athletes were “purposefully excluded from this waterfall of money for many years.” Athletes could not legally profit from their name, image and likeness until July 2021. The former Ohio State quarterback was involved in the tattoo scandal that resulted in Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel’s resignation — with the entire situation looking worse in hindsight after the NCAA finally granted NIL.

Pryor’s Ohio State career ended early, leaving after his junior year for the NFL instead of potentially serving a five-game suspension his senior year over the scandal. He did not specify what he was seeking in damages in the 17-page filing.

“For many years and continuing to the present, the Defendants have systematically and intentionally misappropriated the publicity rights and NIL of the Plaintiffs and those similarly situated and in doing so have reaped millions, and perhaps billions, of dollars from the Plaintiffs and the class,” the lawsuit said.

“Meanwhile the student-athletes themselves were not only prevented from capitalizing on their publicity rights, but they were punished for doing so through the rules the NCAA forced upon them in order for them to participate.”

Terrelle Pryor would be ‘highest paid’ collegiate athlete

The former five-star recruit from Pennsylvania threw for 6,177 yards and rushed for 2,164 in his career with the Buckeyes. He finished with 74 total touchdowns at Ohio State. He finished his career with the second-most victories by an Ohio State quarterback at 31.

Pryor also named Learfield Communications in the suit. The multimedia rights company has partnerships across the college sports landscape, working on licensing and marketing agreements. The complaint argues Ohio State, the Big Ten and the NCAA violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.

The NCAA and its Power 5 conferences are in the middle of settling the House v. NCAA settlement. The settlement would allow schools to share up to $22 million annually in revenue with athletes. Roughly $2.776 billion in back damages would be paid out. Pryor would not be included as the damages only go back to 2016; his Ohio State career ended in 2010.

“During his college career, the Plaintiff, Terrelle Pryor, was arguably the most recognizable name in college football, and under the current rules, Plaintiff would have been one of the highest paid collegiate athletes in the country,” the filing states. “During his college career, and continuing to the present, the Defendants exploited the Plaintiff’s fame and athletic achievements to their benefit and at the expense of the Plaintiff.”