Judge dismisses players' image suit against NFL

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed an antitrust lawsuit filed by three retired football players that accused the NFL of constraining the use of former players' images and likenesses.

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson issued the ruling Wednesday. Magnuson wrote that retired players Gene Washington, Sean Lumpkin and Diron Talbert "have utterly failed to make out a claim for violation of the antitrust laws."

The lawsuit was filed in November 2011. In it, the players said the league and its teams violated antitrust laws by not allowing them the rights to game films and images from the games in which they played.

Magnuson also wrote that "no amount of legal tongue-twisting will turn their claims into antitrust claims."

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