A lot of money but no apology: the NFL-Players Settlement

September 5, 2013

Football Season is back and with it comes arguments as to the best teams will be:  will Alabama’s Nick Saban-led team continue its dynasty?  Will Baltimore repeat as Super Bowl Champions or will another team emerge victorious.  Alongside stories of quarterback controversies and big game match ups, is the recent news that a group of 4,500 former NFL players who filed a class action lawsuit against the NFL has settled with the league to the tune of $765 million.  That’s a lot of money to be sure.  However, what’s interesting about the settlement is that the NFL got away without admitting any fault on its part or that football was the cause of the plaintiffs’ injuries.  Football was clearly the cause of the plantiffs’ injuries – how else would otherwise healthy middle aged men experience severe memory loss and other ailments?

The NFL settlement doesn’t end the matter either; as several former college players have recently filed lawsuits.  Football at the pro and collegiate level is a big-business.  The game is violent; something that everyone knows.  However, until recently professional and college football failed to take steps minimize risks associated with playing athletes who have already suffered concussions or trying to make helmets safer.

This settlement isn’t the end of the story.