Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell is suing surgeon Dr. William Meyers, Jefferson Health, and 14 other parties for over $300 million. Bell alleges that an unnecessary surgery nearly cost him his life and forced him to retire from the NFL at the age of 24.
The situation began after Bell sustained a hip injury during Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season. According to the lawsuit filed in Philadelphia, doctors used misleading scan results to convince him that he required core muscle surgery, commonly referred to as a sports hernia repair, which he claims was unnecessary.
The complaint asserts that this was part of a profit-driven pattern of encouraging professional athletes to undergo unnecessary procedures.
The lawsuit claims that during the surgery, Dr. Meyers accidentally cut Bell's femoral artery, which is the main artery supplying blood to the leg, resulting in significant internal bleeding. The clinic where the surgery took place was not equipped to manage such emergencies, prompting Bell to be transported by ambulance to Thomas Jefferson Hospital. There, urgent surgery was performed to repair the artery and save his leg, but the incident left him with lasting physical damage.
Prior to his injury, Bell was a dependable player in the Browns' offense. The team drafted him out of Purdue in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft after he was named the Big Ten Receiver of the Year. Over three seasons, he played in 32 games, recording 41 receptions for 408 yards and three touchdowns, including a standout 214-yard performance in his rookie season.
Due to the injury and subsequent surgical complications, Bell was unable to continue playing, leading to his placement on the reserve/retired list by the Browns in 2025.
The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost future NFL contracts, pain, and damages, aiming to hold the medical group accountable for their actions. The Browns are not named in the lawsuit, and the doctors involved have not yet provided a formal response in court.