More than a dozen former NFL players join sex abuse lawsuits against Ohio State University

Thirty former Ohio State University football players, including more than a dozen who went on to play in the NFL, signed on to the class action lawsuit brought by other ex-OSU students who say they were sexually abused decades ago by campus doctor Richard Strauss

Thirty former Ohio State University football players, including more than a dozen who went on to play in the NFL, signed on to the class action lawsuit brought by other ex-OSU students who say they were sexually abused decades ago by campus doctor Richard Strauss.

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While the eight-year legal battle to get OSU to pay damages over allegations that it failed to protect them from Strauss has thus far been led largely by former college wrestlers, this new group includes prominent former members of the Buckeye football team like Al Washington, Ray Ellis and Keith Ferguson, all three of whom went on to play pro football, former OSU wrestler Mike DiSabato announced in a news release Thursday.

Attorney Rocky Ratliff, who is a former OSU wrestler and one of the Strauss survivors currently suing the school, confirmed Thursday that he is representing the 30 football players who have signed engagement letters to join the class action lawsuit that he is affiliated with.