Blindsided

I was quite surprised (and admittedly a bit saddened) over the allegations levied by a former NFL star against his surrogate family. 

Retired NFL star Michael Oher, whose supposed adoption out of grinding poverty by a wealthy, white family was immortalized in the 2009 movie "The Blind Side," petitioned a Tennessee court Monday with allegations that a central element of the story was a lie concocted by the family to enrich itself at his expense.

The 14-page petition, filed in Shelby County, Tennessee, probate court, alleges that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who took Oher into their home as a high school student, never adopted him. Instead, less than three months after Oher turned 18 in 2004, the petition says, the couple tricked him into signing a document making them his conservators, which gave them legal authority to make business deals in his name.

The petition further alleges that the Tuohys used their power as conservators to strike a deal that paid them and their two birth children millions of dollars in royalties from an Oscar-winning film that earned more than $300 million, while Oher got nothing for a story "that would not have existed without him." In the years since, the Tuohys have continued calling the 37-year-old Oher their adopted son and have used that assertion to promote their foundation as well as Leigh Anne Tuohy's work as an author and motivational speaker.

"The lie of Michael's adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher," the legal filing says. "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."

The Tuohy family did not immediately return phone calls Monday to numbers listed for them. Their attorney, Steve Farese, declined comment to ESPN on Monday, saying the family would file a legal response to the allegations in the coming weeks.

I've seen several interviews with Oher since "The Blind Side" was first released in theaters more than a decade ago. He was always quite adamant that how he was portrayed in that movie was somewhat of an exaggeration, specifically the implication that he had no concept of how to play offensive line when making the football team at his new high school. The film also depicted Oher as lacking even the most basic social skills, another aspect at which he bristled. But I see those issues as more a function of the Hollywood entertainment industry and their reputation for "artistic liberties" as opposed to the Tuohy family sensationalizing the story. In fact, I recall an interview with Sean Tuohy, the family patriarch, where he conceded that Michael was already a good kid and that the family's only goal in welcoming him into their home was not to "screw him up." Apparently the movie producers didn't think it would be an interesting enough story that Oher was in fact a bright kid who merely needed some guidance in how to develop quality study habits. 

As far as Oher signing a "conservatorship" after turning age 18, that totally makes since within the context of his getting ready to embark on an NCAA football career at the time.

Sean Tuohy told the online The Memphian in an interview Monday that the family sought conservatorship to avoid violating NCAA recruiting rules since he, a former Ole Miss basketball player, could be classified as a booster.

"Michael was obviously living with us for a long time, and the NCAA didn't like that," Tuohy told the publication. "They said the only way Michael could go to Ole Miss was if he was actually part of the family. I sat Michael down and told him, 'If you're planning to go to Ole Miss -- or even considering Ole Miss -- we think you have to be part of the family. This would do that, legally.'"

Oher has not played in the NFL since week 3 of the 2016 season when he was with the Carolina Panthers (In that game, DE Danielle Hunter of my Vikings squad bowled him over en route to sacking QB Cam Newton for a safety. I believe that was literally Oher's final NFL play).  Despite career earnings totaling eight figures, it's possible Oher may be suffering the fate of many other professional athletes, which is money mismanagement. As such, I concur with Jason Whitlock's contention that this is merely Oher taking an opportunity to renegotiate a contract. 

In the myriad interviews I've seen Oher give, I got a sense that he was growing weary of being viewed as little more than the young man who was propped up by a rich, white family. After all, he was a first round NFL draft pick who was a valuable contributor to the Super Bowl 47 champion Baltimore Ravens. His perception that people didn't judge him on his own merits likely was a growing source of frustration. So when it was learned he was never legally adopted, I'm guessing he had someone whispering in his ear that he could use that supposed betrayal to his advantage. 

It's a shame that a once mutually loving relationship has devolved into a ugly and very public legal battle. My hope for both sides is that cooler heads prevail and that a amicable settlement can be reached quietly. 

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