The NFL appears to be caught between a rock and a tough place relating to participant well being and security.
In reporting on just lately unsealed depositions tied to the league’s concussion lawsuit settlement, Entrance Workplace Sports activities stated that the NFL “is within the place of attempting to straddle the causation difficulty” whereas additionally not wanting “to concede that enjoying soccer may result in lifelong cognitive issues.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell questioned the hyperlink between concussions suffered whereas enjoying the game and long-term mind injury.
“I suppose there’s nonetheless an excessive amount of uncertainty in regards to the causation difficulty,” he stated throughout his nine-hour deposition on July 13, 2022, which was unsealed on Saturday. “Everyone knows there’s dangers with enjoying soccer and different sports activities. There’s dangers to strolling down the road.”
One of many insurance coverage corporations suing to keep away from protecting the price of the 2016 settlement — 1000’s of ex-players have been paid $1.3 billion in damages — says the NFL shouldn’t have settled as a result of, they declare, there isn’t a scientific proof of causation between concussions and mind injury, in line with FOS.
Whereas causation hasn’t been scientifically confirmed, it’s usually accepted that both single or repeated gentle traumatic mind accidents (like concussions), may cause short-term results that improve the chance of long-term neurodegenerative illnesses like CTE or Alzheimer’s.
The league has even acknowledged the rise in concussions inside the sport.
“The league’s place stays unchanged. Participant well being and security is a prime precedence of the NFL, because the Commissioner testified and has lengthy acknowledged,” the league stated in a press release to FOS. “The NFL has made and continues to make nice strides to attempt to make the sport safer for its gamers, together with by rule adjustments, tools advances, and by donating to and supporting vital scientific and medical analysis.”
Goodell was additionally requested about former gamers who died by suicide and requested that their brains be studied.
“I believe gamers who wish to take part within the analysis essential to advance science is a constructive factor for us,” the commissioner stated. “Clearly, the circumstances are extremely unlucky.
“When you will have analysis and brains will be studied … hopefully one thing good comes from that and in discovery. That’s how science advances. Clearly, as I acknowledged, the unlucky circumstances of anyone committing suicide are horrific in and of themselves. However there are a lot of things that most likely go into that.”
Goodell additionally took umbrage with the media’s protection of head accidents.
“They misstate, they misrepresent issues, and after they do this, they add to a story that I believe is unfair and unfounded,” he stated.
