Over 1.1K NFL Players, Agents Have Personal Info Shared in NFLPA Database Leak

As many as 1,135 NFL players reportedly had personal information such as phone numbers and addresses exposed in a data leak. 

On Tuesday, Thomas Fox-Brewster of Forbes reported Bob Diachenko of the cybersecurity company Kromtech Security said hackers could have access to the players' personal information through an open online database operated by the NFL Players Association.

According to Fox-Brewster's report, Diachenko said the database was compromised with a ransom note asking for 0.1 bitcoins (approximately $428) when he found it. Anyone who knew the link to the database could have discovered it, and the ransom note suggested the hackers would release the personal information of the players to the public if they were not paid.

Among the names on the list of players were former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III and former New York Jets defensive back Darrelle Revis.

Most notably, free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick was on the list. As Fox-Brewster pointed out, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback's personal information leaking would be particularly concerning since he received death threats after he protested police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the national anthem last season.

A.J. Perez of USA Today noted NFLPA spokesperson George Atallah didn't provide comment regarding the leak, but Fox-Brewster said the association alerted agents Monday and took steps to secure the data.