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WASHINGTON -- Opening another legal attack on the NFL over the long-term health of its athletes, a group of retired players accused the league in a lawsuit Tuesday of cynically supplying them with powerful painkillers and other drugs that kept them in the game but led to serious complications later in life. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages on behalf of more than 500 ex-athletes, charges the NFL with putting profits ahead of players health. To speed injured athletes return to the field, team doctors and trainers dispensed drugs illegally, without obtaining prescriptions or warning of the possible side effects, the plaintiffs contend. Some football players said they were never told they had broken bones and were instead fed pills to mask the pain. One said that instead of surgery, he was given anti-inflammatory drugs and excused from practices so he could play in games. Others said that after years of free pills from the NFL, they retired addicted to painkillers. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, in Atlanta for the leagues spring meetings, said: "We have not seen the lawsuit, and our attorneys have not had an opportunity to review it." The case comes less than a year after the NFL agreed to pay $765 million to settle lawsuits from thousands of retired players who accused it of concealing the risks of concussions. A federal judge has yet to approve the settlement, expressing concern the amount is too small. The athletes in the concussion case blamed dementia and other health problems on the bone-crushing hits that helped lift pro football to new heights of popularity. The new lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Francisco and names eight players as plaintiffs, including three members of the NFL champion 1985 Chicago Bears: quarterback Jim McMahon, Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent and offensive lineman Keith Van Horne. More than 500 other former players have signed on, according to lawyers, who are seeking class-action status for the case. Six of the plaintiffs also took part in the concussion-related litigation, including McMahon and Van Horne. "The NFL knew of the debilitating effects of these drugs on all of its players and callously ignored the players long-term health in its obsession to return them to play," said Steven Silverman, an attorney for the players. As a result of masking their pain with drugs, players developed heart, lung and nerve ailments; kidney failure; and chronic injuries to muscles, bones and ligaments, the lawsuit alleges. According to the lawsuit, players were routinely given drugs that included narcotic painkillers Percodan, Percocet and Vicodin, anti-inflammatories such as Toradol, and sleep aids such as Ambien. Toradol, which can be injected, was described as "the current game-day drug of choice of the NFL." The medication may raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure or intestinal bleeding. After receiving numbing injections and pills before kickoff, players got more drugs and sleep aids after games, "to be washed down by beer," the lawsuit says. Kyle Turley, who played for three teams in his eight-year career, said drugs were "handed out to us like candy." "There was a room set up near the locker room and you got in line," Turley said. "Obviously, we were grown adults and we had a choice. But when a team doctor is saying this will take the pain away, you trust them." McMahon said he suffered a broken neck and ankle during his career, but instead of sitting out, he received medication and was pushed back onto the field. Team doctors and trainers never told him about the injuries, according to the lawsuit. McMahon also became addicted to painkillers, at one point taking more than 100 Percocet pills per month, even in the off-season, the lawsuit says. Van Horne played an entire season on a broken leg and wasnt told about the injury for five years, "during which time he was fed a constant diet of pills to deal with the pain," according to the lawsuit. Former offensive lineman Jeremy Newberry retired in 2009 and said that because of the drugs he took while playing, he suffers from kidney failure, high blood pressure and violent headaches. On game days, Newberry said, he and up to 25 of his San Francisco 49ers teammates would retreat to the locker room to receive Toradol injections in the buttocks 10 minutes before kickoff. The drug numbed the pain almost instantaneously. "The stuff works. It works like crazy. It really does. There were whole seasons when I was in a walking boot and crutches," Newberry said in an interview. "I would literally crutch into the facility and sprint out of the tunnel to go play." Newberry said he never considered not taking the drugs because he knew hed be out of a job if he didnt play hurt, and the only side effect he was warned about was bruising. He said he could tell which players on the opposing team had used Toradol because of the bloodstains on their pants. After he retired, Newberry said, he saw a specialist who reviewed his medical records and found that for years, the protein levels in his urine had been elevated, a precursor to kidney problems. Newberry said he got blood work during a team-sponsored physical every year but was never told about any problems. "They said, Youre good to go, you passed another one. Youre cleared to play," Newberry said. Associated Press sports writers Barry Wilner in Atlanta and Larry Lage in Detroit contributed to this report. Jason Taylor Youth Jersey . -- After a year spent travelling the world, Brooks Koepka suddenly is in a position to play a lot more golf at home. Jason Taylor Jersey . 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One day earlier, though, fellow Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri wasnt so sure his home and native land could pull off the win against the United States in the semi-finals of the Olympic hockey tournament.Sergio Garcia raced into a share of the lead with Francesco Molinari as Lee Westwood stumbled late on day two of the DP World Tour Championship. Leaderboard DP World Tour Championship Garcia and Molinari both carded six-birdie 67s to hit the front on nine under at the halfway stage, while overnight leader Westwood slipped a shot off the pace after dropping only his second shot of the tournament at the last. Sergio Garcia heads into the weekend in a tie for the lead Henrik Stenson remained firmly on course to regain the Race to Dubai crown as an incident-packed 69 pulled him level with closest rival Danny Willett, while third-placed Alex Noren is one ahead of the top two despite a faltering finish to his 69. Rory McIlroy revived his hopes of retaining his title as he bounced back from Thursdays 75 - his worst score in 29 rounds on the Earth Course - with a classy 68, but that still left him eight shots behind Garcia and Molinari heading into the weekend. Sergio Garcia reflects on his second-round 67 that earned him a share of the halfway lead at the DP World Tour Championship Garcia had looked to be heading for the first-round lead when he rolled in a huge eagle putt on the 14th to get to six under, only to dump his second into the water at 16 and run up a double-bogey six.But he hit his stride early on day two as he converted three birdie chances in five holes in an outward 33, before picking up another shot at the 11th. He then made one of the best pars of the season at the 12th, holing from 45 feet after being forced to take a penalty drop from the shrubbery following a dreadful snap-hook off the tee.The Spaniard could not avoid a blemish when he failed to find the green at the short 13th, but he atoned with further birdies at 15 and 16 and two solid pars completed a solid five-under round. Francesco Molinari also fired a 67 a day after his brother retained his card at Q-School Garcia was joined in the clubhouse lead by his former Ryder Cup team-mate Molinari, who wwas no doubt inspired by his brother Edoardo retaining his European Tour card with a joint runner-up finish at the Qualifying School final stage.ddddddddddddhe younger Molinari matched Garcias outward 33 and hit back from a bogey at the 10th with three consecutive birdies from the 14th before parring in to stay at nine under. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price Westwood got up and running with a birdie at the second, but he failed to convert a number of further chances in a run of 11 pars, a streak which he broke with a welcome birdie at the long 14th.The 2009 champion made it a three-way tie at the top when he got another putt to drop at 16, but he blotted his card at the last after a mis-hit second landed in the hazard and led to a closing bogey-six for a round of 70. Lee Westwood was tied at the top until a bogey at the last Tyrrell Hatton roared home in 31 to match the earlier 66 of Andy Sullivan and move to seven under, but the most entertaining finish was provided by Bernd Wiesberger as the Austrian followed an eagle at 14 with another at the final hole to cap an excellent 67.Joost Luiten (69) and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (67) both kept bogeys off their cards as they joined Hatton and Wiesberger on seven under, while Matt Fitzpatrick and Nicolas Colsaerts are just three off the lead at halfway. Live European Tour Golf November 19, 2016, 8:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass The in-form Noren kick-started his bid for a fifth European Tour victory in 12 starts when he made three birdies in four holes around the turn to reach five under, but the Swede bogeyed 15 and 18 either side of another birdie in a 69.Stenson had a ball stolen on the second and floored a female spectator with an errant tee shot at the 13th, but the firm Race to Dubai favourite was thankful for a hot putter as he posted four birdies in a 69, while Willett could not build on two birdies over the first three holes and had to settle for a 70. Stenson hit a female spectator with his tee shot at the 13th But it would take something special over the weekend for McIlroy to hang on to his title, although his 68 got him under par for the tournament.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Dubai leaderboard First round highlights Westwood on World Cup snub Golf live on Sky Sports 4 ' ' '