Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorley to testify against ex-Penn State football doctor: report

Two of the biggest Penn State football stars of the James Franklin era are expected to appear in court next week to support their former coach. John Luciew of PennLive reports that Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley were called by the defense as witnesses on Thursday during the ongoing lawsuit filed by Dr. Scott Lynch. The former Nittany Lions team doctor claims that he was wrongfully terminated after multiple clashes with Franklin regarding the medical treatment of players.

Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorley expected to take stand next week against former Penn State football team doctor

On Thursday, John Luciew of PennLive reported that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and NFL free agency Trace McSorley will be called as witnesses in the wrongful termination lawsuit filed by ex-Penn State football team physician Scott Lynch.

The former Nittany Lions stars are expected to testify against Lynch, who is suing Penn State Health for removing him from his role as team doctor in 2019. Officially, the decision was made due to his lack of a primary residence in the State College area. Lynch claims it was because of his run-ins with James Franklin, who he says attempted to interfere with medical decisions regarding player health.

While no former Penn State football players had been mentioned by name before Thursday, details from testimony provided by Dr. Pete Seidenberg in support of Lynch earlier in the week had alluded to Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley.

For Barkley, it was a high ankle sprain during the 2015 season. Seidenberg claimed Franklin pressed him and Lynch to clear the running back to play.

McSorley’s injury came in the 2019 Citrus Bowl when he broke a bone in his foot. The doctors gave him the option to stay in the game, which he did—a move that Franklin praised afterward. The doctors perceived this as promoting the message of playing injured to the team.

Medical supervisor refutes claims made by Scott Lynch

The claims made by Dr. Scott Lynch and, subsequently, Dr. Pete Seidenberg have caused quite a stir this week. Most notably, Seidenberg testified that James Franklin pressured them to medically disqualify a player who was receiving psychiatric care after attempting suicide.

However, Dr. Kevin Black, Lynch’s medical supervisor while he was the Penn State football team doctor, paints the situation in a different light. Black took the stand on Thursday, testifying that Lynch never explicitly told him Franklin was meddling with the medical treatment of players.

Again based on the reporting of John Luciew, Black testified that Lynch used much softer language when describing the clashes with Franklin to him. Further, Lynch always denied assistance when Black offered to intervene in the situation.

Due to a missed filing deadline, neither James Franklin nor Penn State athletics are defendants in the lawsuit. A former National Champion wrestler for the Nittany Lions, Scott Lynch is seeking punitive and compensatory damages in the case.

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