Givens' lawsuit against Titans thrown out

Feb 11, 2010 - 10:57 PM NASHVILLE, Tenn.(AP) -- A federal judge has thrown out a $25 million lawsuit by former Tennessee Titans wide receiver David Givens against the team.

U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell said in a ruling Wednesday that Givens' claims were not independent of the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between the Titans and the NFL Players Association.

Givens claimed in the suit last September that the team failed to tell him about a defect in his knee that led to an injury and eventually ended his career.

Givens alleged that a doctor discovered the defect during a physical around the time his contract was being negotiated in March 2006. He claimed the examining doctor told team officials he "may need surgery at some point" and "may not be able to make a full 16-game season," according to the suit.

But Givens claimed he was "kept in the dark about his condition" and team officials urged him to keep playing.

Before signing with the Titans, Givens caught 158 passes for 2,214 yards and 12 touchdowns in four years with New England, where he won two Super Bowl rings. He left as the Patriots' career leader in postseason touchdown catches with seven.

Givens signed a five-year, $24 million deal with an $8 million signing bonus in March 2006 with Tennessee. He had eight catches for 104 yards in his only season with the Titans.

He hurt his knee in a 2006 game against Baltimore.