Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor has sued Ohio State, the NCAA and the Big Ten over denied compensation for his name, image and likeness during his college career, according to a lawsuit filed on Friday in an Ohio federal court.
Pryor’s college career came to an abrupt end when an NCAA investigation revealed that he and some of his teammates violated NCAA rules by trading their equipment, memorabilia and autographs for tattoos and cash.
Pryor played with the Buckeyes from 2008-10 before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2011 Supplemental Draft, where he would be forced to serve a five-game suspension to begin his pro career.
Players weren’t able to capitalize on NIL opportunities until 2021, and the NCAA is currently settling many different lawsuits that will pay former athletes dating back to 2016 compensation of a combined $2.78 billion, but Pryor believes he also was denied compensation he earned.
“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 reads.
“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.”
The former Buckeye isn’t the first to file a suit like this. He joins former USC running back Reggie Bush, who is suing his former school and the NCAA while multiple former Michigan players are suing the NCAA and Big Ten Network.
The lawsuit claims that the NCAA, the conference and the school continues to profit from the use of Pryor’s likeness and what he did when he was playing college football.
“Replays of historic moments from the past are a large part of the Defendant’s promotional activities as well as their income streams, and former players have never been compensated for this continuing use of the names, images and likenesses,” the lawsuit said.
During his three seasons with Ohio State, Pryor threw for 6,177 yards and 57 touchdowns to 26 interceptions while running for 2,164 yards and 17 more touchdowns on the ground.
