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A former NFL star turned orthopedic surgeon is suing the NCAA, claiming his medical career is finished after repeated concussions he suffered as a college athlete led him to develop Parkinson’s disease.
Patrick O’Neill, 55, was an Academic All-American and University Scholar at Syracuse University, where he played on a football scholarship from 1990-1993.
He claims that during his collegiate football days, he was urged to power through head injuries and was kept in the dark about their risks.
“The NCAA failed to protect Patrick O’Neill’s health and safety, because it failed to make the game of football as safe as possible, and because it failed to keep Patrick O’Neill informed so he could make reasonable decisions about whether to play college football and how to play it safely,” says the suit against the NCAA, filed Nov. 2 in Manhattan Supreme Court.
After graduating, O’Neill was drafted in 1994 as an NFL punter and played for the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was named the NFL All-rookie punter during his first pro season with the Patriots.
But he soon left the NFL to pursue his real dream — becoming a doctor. In 1998 he was accepted into John Hopkins University Medical School in Baltimore.
The MD launched a successful career as a surgeon and became the chief of orthopedic surgery at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
He currently practices at Kennedy-White Orthopedic Center in Sarasota, Florida. He’s the only board-certified fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon in the county.
“This brain disease has forced Patrick O’Neill to suffer great loss, including in his ability to practice as an orthopedic surgeon,” the complaint claims.
The degenerative disease can cause tremors, slowed movement and other symptoms that grow progressively worse.
O’Neill contends in court docs the NCAA knew about the dangers of repeated head trauma but failed to warn or protect its athletes.
O’Neill blames the NCAA for its lack of concussion-related regulations, alleging the organization knew repeated head injuries were linked to Parkinson’s disease as far back as the 1930s, but failed to take adequate steps to protect players.
The lawsuit alleges that the NCAA ignored doctor recommendations to ban players from contact sports after suffering three moderate concussions.
“Without a competent medical professionals properly versed in repetitive head trauma on the sidelines, Patrick O’Neill repeatedly sustained trauma to his head in games and/or practice in NCAA football,” the complaint alleges.
“Despite the trauma, Patrick O’Neill was never removed from the field for examination, rest, and treatment.”
The NCAA, Syracuse University, O’Neill and his attorney did not return requests for comment.
