NFL reaches $765 million settlement in concussion lawsuit

[Jikkle]

NFL reaches $765 million settlement in concussion lawsuit | ProFootballTalk

That's a big check to scratch off but hopefully now that it's done the league will tone down it's overzealous approach to player safety.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Ridiculous. The NFL now needs to make all the players sign waivers incase they decide for another money grab later on in their careers.

 

[TobyTyler]

NFL reaches $765 million settlement in concussion lawsuit | ProFootballTalk

That's a big check to scratch off but hopefully now that it's done the league will tone down it's overzealous approach to player safety.

That's only 3/4 of what ESPN pays the NFL for one year of broadcasting Monday Night Football. That is a drop in the bucket to them.

 

[TobyTyler]

Ridiculous. The NFL now needs to make all the players sign waivers incase they decide for another money grab later on in their careers.

I'm on the fence with this one. On one hand, those players knew what they were getting into when they played but it seems nowdays someone else is always to blame for a person's, or group of persons', misfortune. On the other I'd like to see those old guys get taken care of a little by the NFL.

 

[JDM]

They deserve to be taken care of on some level. It's sad that it took a lawsuit to make it happen.

 

[TobyTyler]

They deserve to be taken care of on some level. It's sad that it took a lawsuit to make it happen.

I'm not sure if "deserve" is the right word but it would be the right thing to do at this point. I think every one of those players would go back and do it again even if they were fully aware of what concussions could do to them later in life. Its a tough question. But its not like these guys were indentured servants, they were getting paid handsomely to play a game most of us would play for free.

 

[clyde_carbon]

They deserve to be taken care of on some level. It's sad that it took a lawsuit to make it happen.

They dont deserve to be taken care of more than the average American employee. They knew what they signed up for. And if you look at the list, most of the players on it are broke. That has nothing to do with the NFL, but their own mismanagement of their money.

 

[TobyTyler]

They dont deserve to be taken care of more than the average American employee. They knew what they signed up for. And if you look at the list, most of the players on it are broke. That has nothing to do with the NFL, but their own mismanagement of their money.

That's the point I was trying to make.

 

[MHSL82]

That's only 3/4 of what ESPN pays the NFL for one year of broadcasting Monday Night Football. That is a drop in the bucket to them.

How much they make overall does not have much to do with what they should or should not pay. The reason I say this is because I believe it should be medical, not punitive. The point isn't to make them broke. It is to compensate those who should be compensated. There are arguments that it's too little and arguments that they aren't owed anything. But what the NFL has, and what they can afford, has nothing to do with whether they should be compensated or how much. It does have something to do with whether they will challenge it and if they are guilty it makes them look worse since it's little. But not to what they are or are not owed. I know you aren't criticizing them for it but there will be plenty who do.

 

[TobyTyler]

How much they make overall does not have much to do with what they should or should not pay. The reason I say this is because I believe it should be medical, not punitive. The point isn't to make them broke. It is to compensate those who should be compensated. There are arguments that it's too little and arguments that they aren't owed anything. But what the NFL has, and what they can afford, has nothing to do with whether they should be compensated or how much. It does have something to do with whether they will challenge it and if they are guilty it makes them look worse since it's little. But not to what they are or are not owed. I know you aren't criticizing them for it but there will be plenty who do.

Good point. It should only be punitive if the NFL knew about and covered up this problem.

 

[MHSL82]

They deserve to be taken care of on some level. It's sad that it took a lawsuit to make it happen.

I'm okay with the results even if I don't agree necessarily with the guilt. I feel that this gets it out of the conversation a little bit. Also, I do hope that those who are hurt get some help, even if they blew their own money. While some of the former players were paid more than others at their time and for a game, there were not paid as much as players are now - not that that's relevant to what they are owed if any but rather they'd blow thier money quicker and their health trade-off wasn't as great.

 

[JDM]

I'm not sure if "deserve" is the right word but it would be the right thing to do at this point. I think every one of those players would go back and do it again even if they were fully aware of what concussions could do to them later in life. Its a tough question. But its not like these guys were indentured servants, they were getting paid handsomely to play a game most of us would play for free.

Without them making very little money to get the shit kicked out of them, the NFL isn't a multi-billion dollar corporation. It's not until fairly recently that players started to make legitimate money.

 

[MHSL82]

Good point. It should only be punitive if the NFL knew about and covered up this problem.

Which is what was alleged and what was used as a compromise. The NFL said, in exchange for no admission of guilt and no further obligation to disclose what they knew, they would give perhaps more than the low end if the scope of damages earlier with no further legal cost (harder for the plaintiffs). They may or may not have hidden things that would have informed the players and dissuaded them from playing, but that's the claim. With this settlement, they didn't prove it and didn't have to prove it. If they wanted a more punitive award they'd have to prove it and gamble a but. Also, those who need treatment and can't afford it would have to wait or depend upon some source that was contingent or expectant if being paid back with interest after the damages or settlement occurred in the future.

 

[MHSL82]

Without them making very little money to get the shit kicked out of them, the NFL isn't a multi-billion dollar corporation. It's not until fairly recently that players started to make legitimate money.

True, but you are never going to convince me that making money off people who wouldn't likely make as much doing anything else is a black and white bad thing. No matter how physical or little they were paid, this is not slavery - even if the NFL makes bank off them. Neither side would have it without the other - the one who put the financial risk at the start of the league set the terms, players can go elsewhere. They can't? Then, they are benefitting from the NFL. They made the choice. They knew they would get hurt, just the extent may not have been as clear. They are being paid well and the risks are now well advertised now so it's not an issue.

 

[TobyTyler]

True, but you are never going to convince me that making money off people who wouldn't likely make as much doing anything else is a black and white bad thing. No matter how physical or little they were paid, this is not slavery - even if the NFL makes bank off them. Neither side would have it without the other - the one who put the financial risk at the start of the league set the terms, players can go elsewhere. They can't? Then, they are benefitting from the NFL. They made the choice. They knew they would get hurt, just the extent may not have been as clear. They are being paid well and the risks are now well advertised now so it's not an issue.

I agree with you in principle but, like most young people, they probably thought they were invincible. Its tough to get anybody at a young age to plan for their old age. Those players were probably no different.

 

[NinerSickness]

This is the stupidest lawsuit I can remember. I hate lawyers & litigious clients more every day.

 

[Yu Lee - A Nova Lover]

For the idiots who haven't read about the lawsuit and only assume the story behind the lawsuit....
the NFL was sued because they LIED about concussions AND pushed/paid for fake scientific studies.

The NFL could have avoided this lawsuit by being honest
and not creating fake scientific propaganda.

 

[TobyTyler]

For the idiots who haven't read about the lawsuit and only assume the story behind the lawsuit....
the NFL was sued because they LIED about concussions AND pushed/paid for fake scientific studies.
The NFL could have avoided this lawsuit by being honest
and not creating fake scientific propaganda.

Why would the NFL be any different from any other major corporation in America.

 

[NinerSickness]

For the idiots who haven't read about the lawsuit and only assume the story behind the lawsuit....
the NFL was sued because they LIED about concussions AND pushed/paid for fake scientific studies.

The NFL could have avoided this lawsuit by being honest
and not creating fake scientific propaganda.

I've read about the lawsuit, and they didn't lie about anything. The NFL wasn't under any obligation to make NFL players sleep through seminars about concussions. They do football games; they're not in the business of handing out medical journals. If NFL players wanted to know more about concussions (which they didn't), there was plenty of medical material available to them. It's not the NFL's responsibility to make sure they know all that crap.

This was a bullshit money grab by people who would rather take when people earn than earn it themselves.

 

[Yu Lee - A Nova Lover]

Central figure in NFL's concussion crisis appointed years ago to league position by commissioner Paul Tagliabue, his patient - ESPN