NFL Senior Vice President for Health and Safety Policy, Jeff Miller, was participating in a round-table discussion about concussions when Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois questioned him about the link between football and CTE, a degenerative brain disease identified in nearly 100 former players.
Mr. Miller’s response? “The answer to that is certainly, yes.”
According to the report, his response marks a complete departure from the NFL’s previous hard-line denial of evidence of a relationship between the sport and CTE. That said, Brian McCarthy, a league spokesman, backed the official’s response the following day saying, “The comments made by Jeff Miller yesterday accurately reflect the view of the NFL.”
The league’s new stance could influence lawsuits involving CTE cases, as well as safety regulations at all levels of the sport, from youth leagues to high school and college football leagues.
Although the league had to pay settlements to previous claims involving CTE, the NFL’s position may actually serve as a legal shield in the future, Jeffrey A. Standen, the dean of the Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, told NYT.
“Strategically, the NFL’s admission makes a world of sense,” said Mr. Standen. “The league has paid a settlement to close all the claims previous to 2015. For future sufferers, the NFL has now effectively put them on notice that their decision to play professional football comes with the acknowledged risk of degenerative brain disease.”
More articles on football and concussions:
Cleveland Clinic physician develops app to detect concussions
Mayo Clinic consents to licensing agreement with creator of sideline concussion test
New York City considers legislation to require a physician at youth football games
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