Fact Check: Did Michael Oher have intellectual disabilities? Exploring fresh details about The Blind Side’s star

Which movie fan has not been captivated by Michael Oher's character on The Blind Side? Few who have watched the film would have been left unmoved about the central premise. Here was a kid coming from a disadvantaged background who was taken in by a kind family, who helped catapult him into NFL stardom. It certainly tugged at many heartstrings.

However, people are now paying closer attention to how Michael Oher was depicted in the movie. This comes after the former Super Bowl winner accused Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, his reportedly adoptive parents, in a lawsuit of misrepresenting his story.

One particular bone of contention is how his intellectual ability was portrayed in the film. In many instances, the movie makes it seem as if he was barely able to read or write. One particular galling scene shows the Tuohys' young son using ketchup bottles to teach his character. That became the official narrative of his story.

In reality, though, Michael Oher was already on the way to becoming a sought-after college recruit at the period of time depicted in 'The Blind Side'. It reportedly hurt his ability to gain the trust of his teammates in football, which is an extremely technical game. He recently commented,

“The biggest for me was being portrayed as not being able to read or write. When you go into a locker room and your teammates don’t think you can learn a playbook, that weighs heavy.”

Some of the relevations that have been unearthed presently also seem to challenge the notion that he was intellectually disabled. Many top NFL players do not complete their degree when they turn professional. Michael Oher finished his degree in criminal justice before entering the NFL, which points to his academic dedication.

Perhaps, even more egregious was the fact that the Tuohys should have had enough knowledge about his intelligence. He got into a Memphis private school because he was academically gifted and that is how he came to meet his future family.

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'The Blind Side' story in the eye of critics after examining other details of Michael Oher's life

Another detail, where Michael Oher could have lost out on a better footballing education, is that it was Sean and Leigh Tuohy who egged him on to join Ole Miss. Both of them were alumni of the university.

Seemingly contrary to how it was depicted on 'The Blind Side', the former NFL player was a great football player in his own right even without his reported adopted parents. Nick Saban, from Alabama, expressly came to meet the Tuohys to recruit him into his program. However, he signed with the Ole Miss program, where Sean Tuohy was once a basketball player.

Michael Oher was selected as the 23rd overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft but one can only imagine if he had the free reign to go and play for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Under Saban, they have become one of the best college football programs in the country and are a feeder of great players into the NFL. He could have been selected higher in the draft and been better coached at college level. In theory, he may have missed out on player earnings due to his decision to not go join Saban.

At this point, there are a lot of what-ifs to this story. After the former Super Bowl winner accused the Tuohys of misleading him and claiming that his adoption story was a lie, they counter-alleged that they were being shaken down because they had refused to give him $15 million. Final judgment on the whole matter will come in due course but at the moment it is fair to say that 'The Blind Side' took certain liberties in interpreting the story of its main character.