Judge to end Memphis couple's conservatorship of former NFL player Michael Oher

A Tennessee judge announced she will end the 2004 conservatorship agreement between former NFL player Michael Oher and the Memphis couple who acted as his adoptive parents, according to the Associated Press.

The agreement has come into question following accusations that the parents took advantage of Oher and withheld money from him, including royalties from the film “The Blind Side,” inspired by the player’s life.

In a lawsuit last month, Oher claimed that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy never legally adopted him as a teen, as they had claimed and he believed. The conservatorship agreement gave the Tuohys control over Oher’s contract negotiations, including for the film. 

Oher’s attorneys claim that the Tuohs agreed to a $250,000 payment plus 2.5 percent royalties for the film, but did not give Oher any of the money. Conservatorships are almost exclusively reserved for people who are disabled, in severe mental distress or are otherwise unable to handle their own affairs.

Oher was one of the most successful offensive linemen in college football when he played for Ole Miss, before a seven-year NFL career, mostly with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Tuohys denied the allegations in the suit and claimed that Oher had attempted to extort money from the couple.

Oher’s suit against the couple will continue after the dissolution of the conservatorship. 

The Hill has reached out to the Tuohys for comment.