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Michael Oher: The Blind Side Hurt My Career

NFL offensive tackle says flick gives him unfair criticism.

The Blind Side earned a Oscar nomination for best picture and raked in $300 million in the box office, but just because it was based on the life story of Michael Oher, doesn't mean the NFL player likes the 2009 movie. In fact, Oher thinks the film hurt his NFL career.

"I'm not trying to prove anything,'' Oher told ESPN. "People look at me, and they take things away from me because of a movie. They don't really see the skills and the kind of player I am. That's why I get downgraded so much, because of something off the field. This stuff, calling me a bust, people saying if I can play or not...that has nothing to do with football. It's something else off the field. That's why I don't like that movie.

"That's taken away from my football,'' Oher added. "That's why people criticize me. That's why people look at me every single play.''

Oher even went as far as to say that he gets scrutinized more than any other offensive lineman in the league.

"Offensive linemen don't get looked at,'' Oher said. "Nobody is paying attention to the offensive line. But me? I'm getting watched for everything. I know what type of player I am. Everybody else that I know knows what type of player I am. So that kind of stuff doesn't worry me.''

At 29, Oher will attempt to help the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South division this 2015 season during the fall. 

BET Sports News — Get the latest news and information about African-Americans in sports, including weekly recaps, celebrity news and photos of your favorite Black athletes.

(Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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