More than 100 former National Football League (NFL) players have filed objections to a recently proposed settlement with the league’s disability plan, arguing the agreement could significantly reduce their potential compensation for injuries sustained during their playing careers.

The settlement, reached in June, resolves a lawsuit initially filed in September 2023 that accused the NFL Disability Plan of employing “race-norming” in its evaluation of cognitive impairment claims. This practice, as alleged, involved adjusting neuropsychological test scores based on a player’s race—specifically scoring Black players differently than White players—resulting in discrimination against non-White athletes when determining eligibility for disability benefits.

The litigation draws parallels to earlier complaints from 2021 concerning race-norming within the NFL’s concussion settlement, which similarly contended that Black players were unfairly denied compensation due to racially biased cognitive assessments.

The current objections contend that the settlement effectively requires players to relinquish their rights to pursue claims in a separate, more comprehensive class action lawsuit against the disability plan. That broader case, filed in February 2023, accuses the NFL Disability Plan—administered jointly by the league and the players union—of disseminating false information and misleading injured players, thereby creating a widespread pattern of benefit denials. Plaintiffs in that suit are still seeking court approval to certify the case as a formal class action.

Among those opposing the race-norming settlement are former NFL stars Michael Vick, Ricky Williams, and Willis McGahee. Vaughn Booker, a former defensive end, voiced his concerns in filings submitted Tuesday in federal court in Baltimore, where the disability plan is headquartered, asserting that the defendants have treated non-White players unfairly and alleging that the process to notify and involve players in the settlement was inadequate.

The players’ objections were filed with legal representation from Sam Katz, who is also handling the parallel class action litigation. Katz described the settlement as offering “essentially nothing” to those affected, highlighting that the NFL Disability Plan ceased the use of race-based scoring two years earlier in June 2021. He further criticized the settlement for requiring players to waive all claims without an option to opt out.

The NFL and the NFL Disability Plan declined to comment on the objections or the ongoing litigation. Attorneys involved in negotiating the race-norming settlement on behalf of the former players did not respond to requests for comment.

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for October 20 in Baltimore federal court.