TAMPA — Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Lawrence Tynes scored a victory on Thursday when his $20-million lawsuit against the team was remanded to state court rather than remaining in federal court.
In his suit, Tynes claims he contracted a MRSA infection that ended his NFL career because the team did not maintain the cleanliness of its facility.
The team previously had the case moved to federal court, saying Tynes’ suit was “inextricably intertwined” with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the league and its players.
But a judge ruled Thursday that Tynes’ lawsuit should be heard in state court because it pertains to how the team maintained its One Buc Place practice facility, which is not addressed in the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.