Michael Oher claims ‘The Blind Side’ portrayal hurt NFL chances: ‘Wondering if I could read’ playbook

While “The Blind Side” may have been a box office hit when it was released in 2009, the subject of the film starring Sandra Bullock and the book it was based on says it was a detriment to his NFL career and had teams questioning his intelligence. 

Michael Oher sat down for his first extensive interview with The New York Times Magazine after filing a lawsuit against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the family that took in Oher as a teen and raised him thus inspiring the book and movie.

It’s the same book and movie Oher told The Times had impacted where he was drafted and how teams viewed his intelligence.

“The N.F.L. people were wondering if I could read a playbook,” Oher said in the interview. 

Initially, Oher didn’t even watch the movie when it first came out but the Ravens team chaplain eventually convinced him to see the film. 

After he saw it, Oher at first wasn’t sure how to react and seemed to not mind the portrayal of himself, but he quickly saw the social media perception of him taking shape. 

“It’s hard to describe my reaction,” Oher told The Times. “It seemed kind of funny to me, to tell you the truth, like it was a comedy about someone else. It didn’t register. But social media was just starting to grow, and I started seeing stuff that I’m dumb. I’m stupid. Every article about me mentioned ‘The Blind Side,’ like it was part of my name.” 

He added: “If my kids can’t do something in class, will their teacher think, Their dad is dumb — is that why they’re not getting it?”

A rift has developed between the family and Oher, who says the family tricked him into signing a conservatorship instead of adopting him which he says they claimed they were doing.

A judge ended the conservatorship in September. 

Oher’s lawsuit claims the Tuohys duped him out of millions

In the conversation with The Times, Oher said that the first time he had been told “I love you” was when he was with the Tuohy family. 

“The first time I heard ‘I love you,’ it was Sean and Leigh Anne saying it,” he said. “When that happens at 18, you become vulnerable. You let your guard down and then you get everything stripped from you. It turns into a hurt feeling.” 

Entertainment lawyer Martin Singer, who has been a spokesperson for the Tuohys, dismissed Oher’s claims about the couple in a statement after the lawsuit was filed.

“Anyone with a modicum of common sense can see that the outlandish claims made by Michael Oher about the Tuohy family are hurtful and absurd,” it said. “The idea that the Tuohys have ever sought to profit off Mr. Oher is not only offensive, it is transparently ridiculous.”