Michael Oher’s ongoing legal dispute with the Tuohy family — both of whom were depicted in the Academy Award-winning film “The Blind Side” — has developed a twist.
According to new court records, the Tuohys paid Oher over $138,000 related to the movie between 2007 and 2023 — contradicting Oher’s original claims that he was not compensated for his life story being the basis of the film.
A spokesperson for Oher said he had no comment on the most recent development.
The former NFL offensive lineman sued the family in August after learning that they had entered him into a conservatorship instead of legally adopting him. Oher alleges that they did this for their financial gain and his expense.
In September, a Tennessee judge ended Oher’s conservatorship, questioning how it was even approved in the first place. Oher’s case against the Tuohys is still ongoing, and the recent revelation is sure to have an impact on it.
The case is not likely about the money, as Oher earned $35 million over the course of his NFL career, and his potential proceeds from “The Blind Side” would have been relatively insignificant compared to that. Reputation and pride are likely more on the line.
“There’s a sense of betrayal,” New York Times reporter Santul Nerkar told the Front Office Sports Today podcast in August. “He said that February 2023 was the first time he learned that he was not legally adopted or part of their family.”
