The NFL is getting serious about concussions, but it is also not getting the cooperation of players.NFL owners voted to settle a lawsuit brought by some players against the league, with the goal of ensuring that the league can afford to pay out more money to players.
In a resolution that was passed Thursday, the NFL Board of Governors approved a $500,000 payout to the players, who allege that the team was not compensated adequately for their injuries.
The resolution calls for the league to “invest in player health, wellness and rehabilitation services, which are critical to players’ long-term health and well-being, to help them regain full and productive playing and football career potential.”
Players will receive the money in two installments, starting this season, and then another $50,000 will be added every two years.
The settlement is the latest step in the NFL, which was fined $500 million last year for deflating footballs in the playoffs.
It also includes a stipulation that all players with concussions will be required to undergo a concussion test before the start of next season.
The tests will be administered by the NFL-appointed expert in neuropsychological testing, the brains of Dr. Robert Kessler, a neurosurgeon who has studied concussions for over a decade.
Kessler’s results will be used to help the league determine if a player is eligible for a new contract.
The agreement also requires the league’s concussion-related health and safety committee to submit a report to the league board on how the league will address player safety.
In addition, the league must submit a plan by July 1, 2021, to determine if the NFL will be a leader in addressing player safety by increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour by 2025 and increasing the maximum penalty for violations of the CBA to $250,000 per day.NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement that the new compensation plan “significantly expands on what was done last year.”
The league has been working to increase its compensation and provide more support for players over the last two years, he said.
The latest settlement was part of a settlement that was negotiated between the players and the NFL.
It covers more than 1,500 players, with about 1,000 of them being named in the lawsuit.
The league says that more than 2,400 players received payouts.
The settlement also extends the NFLPA’s efforts to increase transparency around concussion care.
The NFLPA sued the league in May 2017 to get more information about how it would respond to and treat players who need to get concussions.
The league agreed to pay the union $500 per player for the first year of the agreement, but later increased the payout to $1 million per player, the union said.
The union also agreed to include more details about the concussion protocol in the agreement.
The union will provide more information to players about the plan it is working on to address player health and wellness.