NFL to spend an additional $100 million to study head injuries

In order to prevent and treat head injuries among football players, the NFL says it will allocate $100 million for "independent medical research and engineering advancements."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday the funding is in addition to the $100 million the league has already pledged for medical research of brain injuries and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease found in people who have had severe or repeated hits to the head. The NFL also said it is "establishing an independent, scientific advisory board comprising leading doctors, scientists, and clinicians to engage in a clear process to identify and support the most compelling proposals for scientific research into concussions, head injuries, and their long-term effects."

There "may be an increase" in reported concussions since the league began its campaign to prevent head injuries, Goodell said, and while the NFL does not want to see more players hurt, an increase in self-reporting and screening could help determine preventive measures. "Our game, of course, is a contact sport," he said. "Fans love to see the action on the field, including the big hits. While we can never completely eliminate the risk of injury, we are always striving to make the game safer — for our professional athletes down to young athletes first learning how to play."

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