Final Lawsuit Over Korey Stringer Death Settles

August 9, 2011

A settlement has been reached in the last remaining litigation stemming from the heatstroke death of Minnesota Vikings lineman Korey Stringer 10 years ago.

Terms of the settlement between Stringer’s family and Chicago-based equipment-maker Riddell Inc. were not disclosed. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Ohio in 2003.

Stringer’s agent, James Gould, said Monday the settlement culminates a decade of work to make some good come from Stringer’s death. The player’s widow, Kelci Stringer, founded the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut in 2009 with help from the NFL and Gatorade to educate about preventing heat-related illnesses in sports.

Stringer died Aug. 1, 2001, after collapsing during a sweltering day of training camp. His death prompted teams to more closely monitor their players in hot weather.