Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor sued his alma mater, the NCAA and the Big Ten over denied compensation for name, image and likeness during his college career, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in an Ohio federal court.
Pryor’s lawsuit comes on the heels of former USC star and Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush filing a similar suit against his former school and the NCAA, and several former Michigan players targeting the NCAA and Big Ten Network.
“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 said.
“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.”
Pryor was one of the most famous and highly rated high school recruits when he signed with Ohio State out of Pennsylvania. His college career ended amid an NCAA investigation into rules violations by Pryor and some of his teammates for trading their equipment, memorabilia and autographs for tattoos and cash.
Instead of serving a potential five-game suspension in his senior year, Pryor entered the 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft. He was selected by the Raiders, and given a five-game suspension to start his NFL career.
Ohio State did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The class-action complaint, filed in the Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division, also names Learfield Communications, a company that works with hundreds of schools on licensing and marketing deals. Pryor is the only named plaintiff and damages being sought were not specified.
The suit, like the Bush and Michigan complaints, also claims the NCAA, conference and school continue to profit from the exploits of Pryor and other former Buckeyes.
“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.
The NCAA allowed athletes to monetize their NIL starting in 2021 and is currently trying to settle a batch of antitrust lawsuits related to denied NIL compensation for $2.78 billion. Plaintiffs in those class-action suits who are eligible for damages date back to 2016.
Pryor passed for 6,177 yards, ran for 2,164 and accounted for 74 touchdowns during his time as a Buckeye.
(Photo: Jamie Sabau / Getty Images)
