Eagles fans suing Commanders over FedEx Field railing collapse

Not only did the Washington Commanders win their Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they made it through the contest without FedEx Field malfunctioning and embarrassing the franchise. You’ll remember in Week 1 last season when a pipe burst in the stands and saturated a section of seats.

Long story short, FedEx Field experienced a number of mishaps in 2021. The most notable of the bunch came in Week 17 vs Philadelphia when the tunnel railing filled with raucous Eagles fans collapse and nearly injured quarterback Jalen Hurts. Several fans took a tumble, but thankfully only minor injuries were reported.

Months later, four Eagles fans are now suing Washington, claiming they’re still recovering from injuries sustained in the incident.

After the Eagles defeated the Commanders, a flock of fans leaned over the railing looking to high-five Hurts as he entered the away tunnel. Video shows the railing giving way and several fans taking a fall in a troubling scene.

Somehow, Hurts walked away unscathed.

Commanders facing lawsuit stemming from 2021 railing collapse at FedEx Field in Week 17 vs the Eagles.

According to Ida Domingo of ABC 7 in Washington, who obtained a copy of the lawsuit, fans weren’t warned about leaning against the wonky railing. In fact, the lawsuit alleges fans were directed there by stadium security.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims security workers and team staff offered no help to the victims, with Hurts being the only individual who provided assistance. The lawsuit alleges the injured fans were treated in a “callous and indifferent manner.”

The New Jersey-based fans allege they suffered “cervical strains, muscle strains, bone contusions, headaches and other potential long-term effects, both physical and emotion,” and are seeking upwards of $75,000 per person. One of the plaintiffs needed to wear a neck brace following the fall, per attorney Bob Sokolove.

"“It’s beyond negligent to skimp on a safety measure in such a high-visibility, high-trafficked area,” Sokolove said, via ESPN’s John Keim. “Whether it’s an NCAA game or a pro basketball game or the NFL, everybody comes to the tunnel where the players are coming out. The weight of everyone pushing forward to get a high-five or a wristband or whatever puts even more pressure on what otherwise were pathetic railings.”“. . . I’ve seen lesser incidents where people were required to get in an ambulance and go to the hospital,” Sokolove added, per Keim “This was, ‘Get in your car, drive home and goodbye.'”"

Not long after the Week 17 game, Hurts penned a letter to Washington seeking follow-up action. While Hurts is currently busy quarterbacking a team many analysts believe is a dark horse Super Bowl contender, he witnessed the incident first-hand and would seemingly qualify as a witness to defend the plaintiffs if it comes to that.

Commanders having ‘smallest’ stadium would be smart after FedEx Field nightmare

The Commanders' proposed new stadium would seat 55,000 fans, making it the smallest in the NFL. That'd be a fantastic idea after the FedEx Field nightmare.