The legal struggle between the NFL and former players over concussions has reached an end.
More then 4,500 former players and the NFL have reached a $765 million settlement to resolve concussion-related lawsuits.
The money from the lawsuit will go to fund medical exams, concussion-related compensation and medical research, a federal judge said Thursday.
One of the principle terms of the settlement is that the agreement “cannot be considered, an admission by the NFL of liability, or an admission that plaintiffs’ injuries were caused by football.”
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit contained at least 10 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, including Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett. Also included in the lawsuit were former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim McMahon and the family of the late Junior Seau.
“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 in a statement.
While the amount is large, the NFL avoids potential larger legal fees if this case were to continue. In addition the league does not have to reveal how much information they truly had in regards to head injuries.
