Former Quarterback Sues Opposing Team over Mascot Incident

Jan 5, 2007

Former New Orleans Saints Quarterback Adrian McPherson has sued the Tennessee Titans after the club’s mascot injured him during a pre-season game last August, allegedly causing him “to miss the entire NFL season.”
 
The incident occurred when The Titans’ mascot T-Rac was throwing items into the stands during halftime. T-Rac, played by the club’s director of mascot operations Pete Nelson, was headed off the field when the Saints were returning from their locker room for the third quarter. His cart collided with McPherson, allegedly causing a deep thigh bruise just above the knee. The quarterback missed the rest of the game. He “ultimately was placed on the injured reserve,” according to the complaint. “Being placed on injured reserve meant that plaintiff would be forced to miss the entire NFL season.”
 
McPherson sued the Titans for negligence in Davidson County Circuit Court. He is seeking $5 million in damages for negligence and $15 million for punitive damages.
 
Specifically, McPherson claimed the Titans failed “to properly supervise and train its employees and agents to perform its duties in a safe and reasonable manner.’
 
Further, he alleged that the Titans “breached its duty by allowing its mascot to operate motorized vehicles on the field while players were present. Further, the mascot’s reckless disregard for the safety of players of the opposite team was a breach of its duty and the conduct is so reckless as to require punitive measures.”
 


 

Articles in Current Issue