[The Final Dakar]

Big news to me.

http://deadspin.com/nfl-settles-conc...ers-1222092777

Peter King first reported that thousands of former players suing the NFL for allegedly hiding the long-term effects of head trauma have reached a settlement with the league. The Associated Press says it's a $765 million settlement, meaning plaintiffs should receive an average of around $150,000-$170,000.

Of the settlement, $675 million will go directly to the former players and their families, $75 million to medical exams, and the rest for research. The money will be paid in installments over 20 years, with half coming in the first three years. Because this is a consolidation and not a class action suit, not all players will receive the same amount of money—it will be distributed on a case-by-case basis..

By avoiding trial, the NFL won't have to submit to the discovery process—we may never know what the league knew about concussions and when. And of course, there is no admission of liability.

Article notes NFL revenues are $9 billion a year, so while its not chump change, they won't be hurting, either.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

I think it's probably more than accurate to say that the players could've gotten more by continuing the suit. But that would have been many, many years down the road - probably long enough that some of them would expect not to make it - and many more millions to the lawyers, assuming they're working on contingency.

Interested to see how the legal bills work on this one....

[The Final Dakar]

Yeah, that's the thing, if you really want to help the retired players its far better to settle now and get them immediate help for bill and treatment, etc.

I'm a little surprised at the lack of activity from the thread. I understand this is an international forum but a Canadian is the first to respond to the US' biggest sport?

[sek929]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I'm a little surprised at the lack of activity from the thread. I understand this is an international forum but a Canadian is the first to respond to the US' biggest sport?

Technically that's NASCAR.

Nothing surprising here, I don't fault the players per se, but most of them knew what was happening. When you get your bell rung a dozen times per game for 15 years you'd have to be a complete idiot to think that's not going to have lasting effects on your health. I think we should go back to the leather helmet days, all the adding armor and padding only encourages harder and harder hits, resulting in concussions. The old gear may have let the player become more outwardly injured, like bleeding and such, but I'm willing to bet there were less concussions.

At any rate, I'm super excited for football season's return.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by sek929 

Technically that's NASCAR.

Nothing surprising here, I don't fault the players per se, but most of them knew what was happening. When you get your bell rung a dozen times per game for 15 years you'd have to be a complete idiot to think that's not going to have lasting effects on your health.

Well, if you're getting your bell rung all the time, maybe you're not thinking clearly.

That's also where the allegations of an NFL cover-up come in. There's thinking something is bad and then there's scientific proof of what will happen when. Does depression and suicidal tendencies really seem like a common sense guess? Should people have expected they'd be showing brain related problems at 45 rather than 65 or later?