Michael Oher Makes First Appearance Since Filing ‘Blind Side’ Lawsuit

Michael Oher stepped out in Baltimore on Monday, marking his first public appearance since filing a lawsuit against the Tuohy family.

The Tuohys inspired the 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” about a family who adopt a foster child and help him with his football career. It was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for playing matriarch Leigh Anne Tuohy. Tim McGraw played her husband Sean Tuohy.

Oher now claims that the family never adopted him, but instead tricked him into a conservatorship that allowed them to make millions in royalties from the movie.

The 37-year-old attended a signing of his memoir “When Your Back’s Against the Wall” at The Ivy Bookshop and gave a short speech.

According to the Associated Press, he said, “This book, it means a lot to me. Basically, it’s a playbook on life and how I continue to fight back and when your back’s against the wall. That’s how I’ve felt all my life.”

Michael added, “My most important lesson in the playbook right here is looking yourself in the mirror and if you’re going through anything, I don’t care what it is, you have every answer that you need to get over what’s going on. I just want to thank you all for coming. I really appreciate it.”

The former Baltimore Ravens NFL player closed with, “And, go Ravens!”

According to papers obtained by “Extra,” Michael claimed in his August 14 filing, "The lie of Michael's adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher. Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys."

The Tuohys' lawyer Marty Singer, however, told TMZ that prior to the lawsuit, Oher threatened to go to the press if they didn't pay him $15 million. Singer said the family denies Michael's allegations and hope to patch things up, however, "they will not hesitate to defend their good names, stand up to this shakedown and defeat this offensive lawsuit."

Earlier this month, Sean spoke to The Daily Memphian, saying, “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.”

Tuohy insisted that they couldn’t adopt Michael because he was 18, and that the conservatorship was put in place to abide by college football rules. According to Tuohy, the conservatorship had nothing to do with the movie.

He added that they made little off the movie, “Michael Lewis, the [author of the book] gave us half of his share. Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000 each.”

He went on, “I will say it’s upsetting that people would think I would want to make money off any of my children.”

Sean’s son Sean Tuohy Jr. also spoke out to Barstool Radio.

He shared, “You’re not gonna hear me talk bad about [Michael] because I truthfully think very highly of [him].”

Sean Jr. does not accept, however, that Oher just learned of the conservatorship earlier this year. “If he says he found out in February, I find that hard to believe,” he said.

He explained, “I went through my family group texts today to see what had been said. There were things in, like, 2020 or 2021 that said, ‘If you guys give me this much, then I won’t go public with things.’”