The NFL is going to settle with 4,500 former players in their concussion lawsuit, paying upwards of over $750 million to keep things from going to court, possibly saving the future of the NFL, although the league refuses to admit that football played a part in those injuries.
The NFL is refusing to admit what everyone knows, but at least the players are getting money and according to ESPN.com, that will go towards legal bills, medical costs, as well as compensation for deceased player families and the report says that $675 million of the $765 million will be used for that. The NFL will pay out the full settlement over 20 years with half coming in the first three years and there are many players involved that will get compensation.
The NFL of course kept itself from admitting liability so that in the future people can't choose to sue, but believe it or not, this was the biggest threat to the future of the league and now it's over. The league may have had to pay billions and would have been embarrassed in court, now things are settled and they can move along like football never hurt anyone.
ESPN writes that the NFL will continue to be the biggest sport in the world and that the settlement will help the league move on from what could have been a "nightmare" scenario. There are still details to be worked out, but the deal is a huge win for the league and the players, as the NFL had to pay far less, but the players got what they always wanted in compensation for their injuries.
The league was clearly scared at what could have happened and now the NFL can move on from what could have been a crippling case. Soon in a few years this will look like chump change.
"This is a historic agreement, one that will make sure that former NFL players who need and deserve compensation will receive it, and that will promote safety for players at all levels of football," said former United States District Judge Layn Phillips, the court-appointed mediator for the dispute said in a statement."
