You can't play football without a foot, so when Miami Dolphins' doctors botched the treatment of O.J. McDuffie mangled toe, the receiver's NFL career was over.

But that didn't mean OJ was going down without a legal fight.

A jury has awarded McDuffie $11.5 million in his lawsuit against a prominent physician Dr. John Uribe, who helped treat a toe injury that turned out to be career-ending.

The jurors returned the award Wednesday following a 2 1/2-week trial. Uribe, a former Dolphins team doctor, called the decision a travesty and an appeal is likely.

McDuffie's attorneys called the damage award fair compensation for his lost earnings.

McDuffie sued for negligence and malpractice over treatment for the toe injury he originally suffered in 1999. He reached settlements with several other doctors.

McDuffie was the Dolphins first round draft pick in 1993 out of Penn State. He played 116 games for the Dolphins from 1993 to 2000 and caught 415 balls for 5,074 yards and 29 touchdowns. he also was a productive kick returner and took two punts to the house in his career.