Michael Oher Challenges False Adoption Story from 'The Blind Side'

On NFL draft day in 2009, Michael Oher is pictured holding a Baltimore Ravens jersey alongside members of the Tuohy family. (GettyImages)

By: Adonis Armstrong

Michael Oher, the NFL star whose purported adoption by an prosperous white Memphis family became the basis for the 2009 film ‘The Blind Side,’ has alleged that the narrative was fabricated. As per a petition submitted in the Shelby County Probate Court on August 14th, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, who welcomed Oher into their home during his high school years, allegedly never legally adopted him. Oher claims they deceived him into signing a document that granted them conservatorship, providing them legal control over his business transactions.

The 14-page document, acquired by ESPN, outlined that the Tuohy family leveraged their conservatorship authority to secure a deal resulting in over $300 million for themselves and their biological children from the highly successful Oscar-winning movie. In contrast, Oher, the individual at the core of the narrative, received no compensation for a story "that hinged on his existence." The petition further revealed that even years after the movie's release, the Tuohys continued to refer to the now 37-year-old Oher as their adopted son, utilizing this status to advance their ventures, including Leigh Anne's roles as an author and motivational speaker.

“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,” the contents of the court document state. “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.”

Adapted from Michael Lewis' 2006 book of the identical title, ‘The Blind Side’ movie recounts the journey of a homeless African American teenager who defied his disadvantaged background to achieve NFL success, aided by his adoptive parents. The film features performances by Sandra Bullock in the role of Leigh Anne, Tim McGraw as Sean, and Quinton Aaron portraying Oher. This sports drama achieved remarkable acclaim, amassing $309 million in box office revenue against a $29 million budget.

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