Former players, employee file separate class-action lawsuits vs. AAF

Former Alliance of American Football players Colton Schmidt and Reggie Northrup have filed a class-action lawsuit against the league after it shut down operations in its first season, ESPN's Michael Rothstein and Kyle Bonagura report.

In a separate motion, James Earnest Roberson Jr., the former director of community relations for the Birmingham Iron, has filed a class-action lawsuit against the AAF and a number of its investors.

Schmidt, who was a punter for the Iron, and Northrup, who played linebacker for the Orlando Apollos, maintain that they would not have joined the league had they known it was not financially stable.

The players allege breach of contract, breach of implied good faith and fair dealings, failure to pay wages, and fraud and false promises by the AAF. They're suing for damages and requesting that each person who joins the suit, which has generated interest among other players, receive three times the damages endured.

Roberson, meanwhile, alleges the AAF violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which mandates employees receive 60 days' advance written notice ahead of mass layoffs.

The AAF kicked off the weekend after Super Bowl LIII and suspended operations April 2 with two weeks remaining in the regular season.