In the wake of bombshell allegations made by ex-NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher, Sean Tuohy described the claims as “upsetting” Monday night in his first public comments following the news.
Tuohy and his wife, Leigh Ann were accused in a petition filed by Oher, now 37, on Monday alleging he was tricked into signing a conservatorship contract shortly after he turned 18. The former Ole Miss standout also claimed the Tuohys used their relationship, which was chronicled in the hit film The Blind Side, and contract to make millions of dollars, including movie royalties, off his name.
Hours after the news broke, Tuohy said in an interview with The Daily Memphian he and his family were “devastated” by Oher’s allegations. He also denied his family made millions from the movie.
“We didn’t make any money off the movie,” Tuohy said. “Well, Michael Lewis [the author of the book ‘The Blind Side’] gave us half of his share. Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000, each.
“We’re devastated. It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.”
In regards to the conservatorship, Tuohy, a former Ole Miss basketball player and supporter of the school’s athletics, went on to claim that it was “the only thing” he and Leigh Ann could do to legally make Oher a part of their family so he could attend Ole Miss since he was over 18.
Tuohy also stated his family brought Oher’s mother into the proceedings in order to make sure the conservatorship was handled properly. In his petition, Oher claimed the Tuohys, who’ve called him their adoptive son over the years, never actually adopted him and pretended they did so they could make money.
“Michael was obviously living with us for a long time, and the NCAA didn’t like that,” Tuohy said. “They said the only way Michael could go to Ole Miss was if he was actually part of the family. I sat Michael down and told him, ‘If you’re planning to go to Ole Miss—or even considering Ole Miss—we think you have to be part of the family. This would do that, legally.’ We contacted lawyers who had told us that we couldn’t adopt over the age of 18. The only thing we could do was to have a conservatorship.
“We were so concerned it was on the up-and-up that we made sure the biological mother came to court.”
While the proceedings between Oher and the Tuohys are in the preliminary stages, Sean said the family will end the conservatorship if Oher wants.
