Houston Robert Ridge Jr. (July 18, 1944 â October 17, 2015) was an American professional football defensive lineman who played four seasons for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL). He achieved notoriety for filing a class-action lawsuit against the team in 1969 after suffering career-ending injuries that he claimed were caused by steroids and amphetamines issued to players. Ridge ultimately reached a $250,000 settlement with the Chargers.