Former Ohio St, NFL player at heart of licensing lawsuit

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The ex-college football star leading a class-action lawsuit against Ohio State University that alleges improper use of ex-athletes'

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The ex-college football star leading a class-action lawsuit against Ohio State University that alleges improper use of ex-athletes' likenesses is one of the school's most well-known, high-profile and loyal athletes.

Linebacker Chris Spielman played at Ohio State from 1985 to 1987. He was a two-time All-American and three-time Big Ten player, and winner of the 1987 Lombardi Award honoring the country's top defensive player. He set a school record for career solo tackles with 283.

A major breast cancer research center at Ohio State carries the name of his late wife, Stefanie Spielman, who died of cancer in 2009.

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

• Miami (FL)
• Georgia
• Utah
• Indiana
• Alabama
• Kentucky
• Texas
• UCLA
• BYU
• Ole Miss
• Notre Dame
• Ohio State

PREREGISTER TO PLAY

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See Official Rules for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

The antitrust complaint filed Friday accuses Ohio State and talent management giant IMG of using athletes' likenesses in promotional campaigns that rob the athletes of compensation.

---

This story has been corrected to show Stefanie Spielman died in 2009, not 1999.