Good Faith and Fair Dealing Is Not an Independent Tort Claim

In a lawsuit by former wide receiver David Givens against the Tennessee Titans, Givens alleged that the team was aware of a defect in his left knee and did not tell him about the problem. As a result, Givens alleged, he continued to play football until he was injured in a game in November 2006. Givens never played professional football again. Among other claims against the Titans, Givens asserted a cause of action for “the legal wrong, whether styled in quasi contract or tort, of performing its contractual obligations in bad faith.” Givens further alleged that this claim was a tort claim that did not require an interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement in place between the Titans and the NFL Players Association.

Cheyanne MahoneyJoe KellyDan LinsGriffin DunhamBob MendesWill Helou