A South Carolina judge has ruled that a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the National Football League can proceed, denying the league’s request to dismiss claims tied to a former player involved in a 2021 mass shooting.
The ruling by state court Judge Charles McCutchen allows the family of former NFL player Phillip Adams to continue their case in Orangeburg County.
Adams shot and killed six people in April 2021 near his parents’ home in York County before dying by suicide later that day, according to authorities. The victims included Dr. Robert Lesslie, his wife Barbara Lesslie, their two grandchildren, and two workers at the home, investigators said.
Following Adams’ death, a Boston physician concluded in December 2021 that he had brain injuries consistent with repeated concussions. Adams’ father, Alonzo Adams, subsequently filed a lawsuit against the NFL, NFL Properties and South Carolina State University, where Adams played college football.
According to the complaint, Adams suffered head trauma during his football career that led to long-term neurological conditions, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and other disorders associated with repeated head impacts. The family alleges that these injuries contributed to his mental decline and behavior.
The NFL and South Carolina State University have denied the allegations and sought dismissal of the case. However, McCutchen found that the plaintiffs presented sufficient grounds for the lawsuit to proceed.
The judge also ruled that the statute of limitations did not bar the claims. He noted that Adams’ alleged CTE could only be diagnosed after his death, meaning the family could not have filed a wrongful death claim earlier.
“The statute of limitations not only did not run out prior to Plaintiff bringing his claim for negligence, Plaintiff had no legal right to sue for the wrongful death of Decedent until after Decedent’s death, and the diagnosis of CTE was only able to be made posthumously,” McCutchen wrote.
The decision keeps the NFL as a defendant and allows the negligence claims to move forward in state court. It follows an earlier federal ruling that also declined to dismiss the case before it was returned to state court.
The lawsuit alleges the NFL engaged in activities that caused concussion-related injuries and “latent neurological damage, illnesses, and decline” resulting from repeated head impacts during Adams’ playing career.
Adams played in the NFL from 2010 to 2015, appearing for the San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons.
McCutchen also denied a request by South Carolina State University for summary judgment, keeping the school in the case.
In addition, the judge ordered the NFL to produce documents related to its business activities in South Carolina, including agreements tied to NFL Properties and the failed Carolina Panthers headquarters project in Rock Hill.
The case raises broader questions about liability for long-term brain injuries in football and whether leagues and institutions can be held responsible for the effects of repeated head trauma.
The litigation will now move into the discovery phase, where both sides will exchange evidence. No trial date has been announced.
The ruling does not determine liability but allows the Adams family to continue pursuing its claims as the case moves forward.
