This story has been updated to correct information about one of the plaintiffs.
Thirty former Ohio State University football players, including ex-team captains and NFL veterans, have come forward to join legal efforts against the university over sexual abuse by former OSU doctor Richard Strauss.
The former players, who each said they were a survivor of abuse by Strauss, have signed engagement letters to join class action lawsuits, according to Michael DiSabato, a spokesman for the plaintiffs.
The new group of plaintiffs includes three members of the 1980 Rose Bowl team: Al Washington, Ray Ellis and Keith Ferguson, all of whom played for coach Woody Hayes and went on to play some time in the NFL.
Other OSU athletes have come forward before but these new high-profile plaintiffs could bring increased visibility to survivors.
Washington played for the New York Jets for one season. Ellis, a native of Canton, was a team captain and played defensive back for seven years in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns. Ferguson was a team captain for the Buckeyes and played ten seasons in the NFL as a defensive end for the San Diego Chargers and the Detroit Lions.
Washington said in a media release that he did not initially come forward due to the shame associated with male-on-male sexual abuse and the fear of retaliation from the university.
Washington said the group stands in solidarity as former teammates who love the university and Hayes, who taught them to use their voices to pay it forward.
“Using our voices to pay forward in this situation is not easy, but we believe it is necessary to protect future athletes and to ensure accountability for what happened to us,” Washington said. “We are committed to seeing this through—not only for ourselves, but for every survivor who has carried this burden in silence. We also feel a responsibility to defend the integrity of the program and Coach Hayes, who taught us about accountability, discipline, and doing what is right.”
Ohio State University spokesman Ben Johnson released this statement on May 7:
“Since 2018, Ohio State has sincerely and persistently tried to reconcile with survivors, including former football student-athletes, through monetary and non-monetary means, including settlements, counseling services and other medical treatment. As of April 15, the university has settled with 317 survivors, including former football student-athletes, for more than $61 million, and we remain actively engaged in mediation.”
The additional plaintiffs come a little more than a week after federal Judge Michael Watson ruled that plaintiffs in the case could pursue economic damages beyond tuition costs.
Strauss worked at the university from 1978 to 1998 in the athletics department and student health center. During those two decades, he abused at least 177 male student patients, according to an independent investigation released by the university in 2019.
Investigators found university officials began receiving complaints and had knowledge of his misconduct as early as 1979, months after he arrived on campus. Survivors reported that Strauss fondled patients’ genitals and conducted genital or rectal exams even when they were unnecessary.
Ohio State has reached settlements with some but not all of the plaintiffs suing the university.
Strauss died by suicide in 2005.
Reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: 30 former Ohio State football players join Strauss abuse lawsuits
Reporting by Jordan Laird, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
