In a twist, Dan Marino decided to withdraw from the concussion lawsuit against the NFL on Tuesday, the same day that it was reported that the Hall of Fame quarterback was the biggest name of the 15 former players suing the league.

Marino confirmed the news of his withdrawal, first reported by the South Florida Sentinel, to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King.

"Within the last year I authorized a claim to be filed on my behalf just in case I needed future medical coverage to protect me and my family in the event I later suffered from the effects of head trauma,” Marino told King late Tuesday afternoon. “In so doing I did not realize I would be automatically listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NFL. I have made the decision it is not necessary for me to be part of any claims or this lawsuit and therefore I am withdrawing as a plaintiff effective immediately. I am sympathetic to other players who are seeking relief who may have suffered head injuries. I also disclaim any references in the form complaint of current head injuries."

Some would argue that it was strange that Marino’s name was tied to the latest group of 15 players suing the NFL, considering the former Miami Dolphins quarterback played in the era of the first 4,500 players who filed a lawsuit against the league last year. The group alleged that the NFL mislead players about the long-term effects of concussions. The latter group of players agreed on a $765 million settlement with the NFL last August, but the settlement was rejected by a federal judge this past January.

In rejecting the $765 million settlement, federal judge Anita B. Brody wrote in a January statement: "Even if only 10 percent of retired NFL football players eventually receiving a qualifying diagnosis, it is difficult to see how the Monetary Award Fund would have the funds available over its lifespan to pay all claimants at these significant award levels," the judge wrote.

Marino, 52, played all 17 seasons with the Dolphins before retiring in 1999. He suffered through neck injuries late in his career, although he didn’t have a history of documented concussions. He spent 2002-13, working as a studio analyst for CBS’s Sunday pregame show, “The NFL Today,” before the two parted ways in February 2014. 

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