Former NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher has been in the news aplenty over the past week after it was revealed that he filed a petition against Sean and Leigh Ann Tuohy.
As noted last week by ESPN’s Michael A. Fletcher, Oher filed a 14-page petition in Shelby County, Tennessee which alleges that the Tuohy family tricked him into signing a conservatorship which allowed them to make millions off his name from the 2009 film, The Blind Side.
The 2009 film, which tells the story of Oher’s youth and move to the NFL, is based on Michael Lewis’ 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. Oher was a key focus in the book.
Quinton Aron played Oher in the film, with Sandra Bullock co-starring as Leigh Ann and Tim McGraw playing Sean. Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress in the film that grossed $309.2 million worldwide.
During an interview with Salon.com, Oher detailed his main concern with the depiction of him in The Blindside. Oher felt as though the film didn’t do an accurate job of displaying the work ethic that led to his success:
“From the time I was three years old to 18, that’s when the movie really started to portray my life. I had ambition, very grateful for the platform. It’s still inspiring and motivating people across this world, so I’m grateful for that. But at the end of the day, I had drive, I had ability to want to succeed and be something, and it didn’t show the work ethic that I put in to get to that point. You have to understand, that came out in 2009, so when I moved in with the family, I was an All-American football player already.”
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Following a superb career at Ole Miss, Oher was drafted in the first round (23rd overall) by the Baltimore Ravens in 2009. He won a Super Bowl 47 championship ring with the Ravens in the 2012 season.
After five years with the Ravens, he joined the Tennessee Titans in 2014 before spending his last two years with the Carolina Panthers.
