( CNN ) -- A unified lawsuit on behalf of more than 2,000 National Football League players has been filed against the league in federal court , alleging that the NFL failed to acknowledge and address neurological risks associated with the sport and then deliberately failed to tell players about the risks they faced , according to attorneys representing former players . The complaint , filed in federal court in Philadelphia , unites the more than 80 pending lawsuits filed against the NFL . `` I firmly believe the NFL could have and should have done more to protect Ray . That 's why I am seeking to hold the NFL accountable , '' said Mary Ann Easterling , widow of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling , who committed suicide in April after years with dementia . `` Having lived through Ray 's struggle , I desperately hope and pray others can be spared the pain and suffering we have endured -- and still endure every day . '' NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy acknowledged the filing but added that there was nothing new to the claim other than that it merges them all . `` Our legal team will review today 's filing that is intended to consolidate plaintiffs ' existing claims into one 'master ' complaint , '' he said . `` The NFL has long made player safety a priority and continues to do so . Any allegation that the NFL sought to mislead players has no merit . It stands in contrast to the league 's many actions to better protect players and advance the science and medical understanding of the management and treatment of concussions . '' However , many NFL players have claimed that they suffer from a variety of injuries because of concussions without really knowing the severity of how badly they could be hurt playing the game . `` The NFL must open its eyes to the consequences of its actions , '' said Kevin Turner , a former running back for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles who has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis . `` The NFL has the power not only to give former players the care they deserve , but also to ensure that future generations of football players do not suffer the way that many in my generation have . '' Lawyers representing the players cited `` dementia , depression , reduced cognitive ability , sleeplessness , early-onset Alzheimer 's , and a debilitating and latent disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy '' as some of the specific injuries caused by head trauma in the NFL . `` Instead of protecting the health of its players , the NFL 's response to this epidemic of brain injuries was to engage in a campaign of deceit and deception , actively concealing the risks players faced from repetitive impacts , '' said Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss , co-lead counsels for the former players . `` This case is about providing security and care to former NFL players who have suffered these devastating neurologic injuries , and making the game safer for generations to come . ''
The lawsuit claims the NFL failed to deal with neurological risks . The lawsuit has been filed in Philadelphia . It unites dozens of other suits against the NFL .