October 29, 2025
It was determined that the NCAA knew about the long-term effects of concussions and it did not warn the former football player
Former student-athlete Robert Geathers and his wife have been awarded a total of $18 million after a jury found the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) negligent in not warning him of the long-term effects of concussions.
According to The Associated Press, the jury hearing the case of the former South Carolina State University football player has awarded Geathers $10 million, while also awarding his wife, Debra, $8 million. The 68-year-old retired athlete played for the school from 1977 to 1980.
Bakari Sellers, who represented the former athlete, said that the governing body knew the risks that concussions caused since the 1930s, but failed to inform coaches and players about the long-term effects until later.
“All of the information they knew, they withheld,” Sellers told jurors, “their job was to keep the boys safe.”
The jury determined that the NCAA “unreasonably increased the risk of harm of head impacts to Robert Geathers over and above the risks inherent to playing football.” The organization “voluntarily assumed duties to protect the health and safety of Robert Geathers,” and the NCAA “negligently breached their duties” to him.
Geathers was diagnosed with dementia several years ago and has trouble with everyday tasks such as dressing himself and helping make meals. At the trial, several physicians testified that he displays symptoms of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy- repeated blows to the head while playing a sport like football) that can only be discovered after a person dies.
In recent studies, CTE has been prevalent in NFL players. In a 2023 report, the Boston University CTE Center discovered that out of 376 former NFL players, 345 were diagnosed with CTE, a rate of 91.7%.
The NCAA disagreed with the decision and issued a statement indicating it may file an appeal.
It stated that they are “prepared to pursue our rights on post-trial motions and on appeal, if necessary.”
“The NCAA has prevailed in every other jury trial around the country on these issues,” and the South Carolina State team standards “followed the knowledge that existed at the time, and college football did not cause Mr. Geathers’ lifelong health problems,” the statement read.
Sellers was happy with the jury’s ruling.
“It felt good to hug Debra Geathers. She gets to go home and tell her husband some good news.”
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