With all the news surrounding Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson this month, there is something incredibly important taking place off the field between the NFL and former players.
Actuaries for former NFL players, who are in the process of suing the NFL over concussions and how the league responded to player safety in the past, have released a damning report in regards to the health of former players (via Associated Press).
An actuarial report released Friday in the NFL concussion litigation finds that three out of 10 ex-players will face Alzheimer’s disease or moderate dementia. The players’ actuaries reached many of the same conclusions as the two sides seek approval of a minimum $765 million settlement from the NFL.
As the AP points out, the findings are startling.
* About 28 percent of former NFL players who are still living will face Alzheimer’s disease or moderate dementia.
* Dozens more will be diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.
* They will be afflicted by these diseases much earlier than those in the general public who are diagnosed.
Under the current settlement, the payout for players who are diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease would be a projected $2.1 million. In addition to this, the next of kin of players who are found to have died with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) would receive $1.4 million. The lowest projected payout would be $190,00 for players diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
If this doesn’t make you think about the impact on player’s lives following the game of football, I am not entirely sure what will. These are alarming numbers and something the league can no longer sweep under the rug.