A year-long investigation revealed that the network, which employed Olsen, was not responsible for exposing him to asbestos, said Denyse Clancy, Susan Olsen's attorney.

The Hall of Fame football legend, sports commentator and actor was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. He sued NBC and numerous other defendants in Los Angeles Superior Court in December 2009, and his wife became the lead plaintiff after his death in March 2010 at age 69.

Olsen's cancer was caused from a significant cumulative lifetime exposure to many asbestos products, including heavy equipment parts, construction materials used on Hollywood television sets and numerous other consumer and construction products, his widow's lawyers allege.

"`Merlin's instructions were simple: make a difference for other asbestos victims with this lawsuit," said another of Susan Olsen's lawyers, John Langdoc.

"Unlike our findings regarding NBC, we've uncovered that a number of companies -- many of which are household names -- were directly responsible for exposing Merlin and others to asbestos; and even worse, it is becoming clear that many of the companies knew some people would get cancer, and just did nothing to stop exposing people by putting asbestos in their consumer products," he said.

Olsen was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl an unprecedented 14 times and was voted into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.