Michael Oher is still processing the news himself.
The 37-year-old former NFLer and subject of the Hollywood blockbuster “The Blind Side” — who filed a bombshell lawsuit Monday alleging the family that took him in duped him while enriching themselves — released a statement saying he is upset by the accusations, too.
“I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today,” Oher said after news of his lawsuit became public. “This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment.”
In his suit, Oher claims Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy tricked him into allowing them to become his conservators and profiting off his name and image.
Oher, a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, alleges the Tuohys paid themselves and their birth daughter millions of dollars in royalties from the movie, which grossed more than $300 million and starred Sandra Bullock, though he did not see any of the cash from it.
Oher is asking his conservatorship be ended, the Tuohys finances be examined and his fair share be paid.
An eight-season NFL veteran, Oher played 110 games with the Ravens, Titans and Panthers, winning a Super Bowl with Baltimore in 2013.
He has long been a critic of the movie and its portrayal of his youth.
“I’m not trying to prove anything,” Oher said in 2015. “People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don’t really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That’s why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field.
“Offensive linemen don’t get looked at,” Oher continued. “Nobody is paying attention to the offensive line. But me? I’m getting watched for everything.”
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