Former Browns Player David Bell Sues for $300 Million Over Alleged Botched Surgery
Wide receiver David Bell claims a procedure intended to fix a hip injury nearly killed him and ended his NFL career prematurely.
Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver David Bell is suing surgeon William Meyers and Jefferson healthcare entities for over $300 million, alleging that an "unnecessary" hip surgery nearly cost him his life and prematurely ended his NFL career.
Bell, a third-round pick by the Browns in 2022, played 32 games for the team before a hip injury sidelined him for the remainder of the 2024 season. He announced his retirement in October 2025 at the age of 24, stating that "continuing to play football would literally risk life and limb."
His lawsuit contends that Bell was not a candidate for the "core muscle repair" surgery. Attorneys claim Meyers and other defendants engaged in a "financial scheme" that led Bell to undergo the procedure based on misrepresented MRI findings.
The suit alleges that Bell "awoke from surgery to learn that he had narrowly escaped death due to a vascular injury caused by Defendant Meyers slicing through his femoral artery." This resulted in emergency transport to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and required "life-saving but career-ending" vascular reconstruction.
"What happened to David Bell... is just plain wrong... [and] was totally preventable," Bell's attorney, Brad Sohn, said in a statement. Sohn added that an investigation involving "world-leading surgeons and radiologists" found that money given to Dr. Meyers, Dr. Adam Zoga, Jefferson, and the Vincera Institute for performing surgeries was prioritized over the medical principle of "First Do No Harm."
Jefferson issued a statement denying the allegations, asserting that the physician involved is not employed by Jefferson and the surgery was not performed at their facility. "As acknowledged in the pleadings, Jefferson provided life-saving treatment to the patient and will vigorously defend its care and reputation," a spokesperson said.
When announcing his retirement, Bell described being "blindsided by an off-field injury that was beyond my control" and that put his "football future in jeopardy."