Tony Dorsett is raising questions about the landmark NFL concussion settlement with 4,500 players. Tony Dorsett played 10 years for the Dallas Cowboys and one for the Denver Broncos.
They were Hall of Famers like Tony Dorsett, Super Bowl MVPs like Mark Rypien, and longtime backups like Don Strock.
Skip to next paragraph' +
google_ads[0].line2 + '
' +
google_ads[0].line3 + '
Subscribe Today to the Monitor
In all, more than 4,500 retired players began suing the NFL two years ago, saying the league concealed what it knew about the long-term dangers of concussions and did not properly care for the head injuries that were long an accepted part of the game.
But some players, including Tony Dorsett, are now questioning whether the landmark $765 million deal is enough.
?There?s some medical issues that guys are going to have for the rest of their lives. I just want to know if the owners are going to put something in the fund that?s going to fund that. That?s the most important thing," Dorsett told The Dallas Morning News on Friday.
?You?re talking about $765 million dollars (the settlement amount), that?s a lot of money. But that?s a lot of players with a lot of issues. This might be the molehill compared to the mountain. This is just, in my opinion, a small amount. I don?t think it?s going to help a lot of players the way they need to be helped, long term.?
Under a tentative settlement announced Thursday, the NFL agreed to shell out more than three-quarters of a billion dollars, nearly all going to any former players ? not just those who went to court ? with dementia or other concussion-related health problems, even if the cause was not the very on-field violence that fueled professional football's rise in popularity and profit.
The deal stipulates that it is not to be considered an admission of liability by the NFL.
"It's a good day, because we're getting help for those who need help," Rypien told The Associated Press, "and a sad day, because we didn't get this done earlier to help guys in the past."
Rypien had two diagnosed concussions during 11 seasons as a quarterback in the NFL, including a championship with the Washington Redskins in 1992.
"I'm relieved; I don't know about pleased. There are probably too many details to work through that we don't all understand yet, quite frankly," said Rypien, who has dealt with depression and difficulty remembering conversations. "But I'm relieved that both sides came together to protect the game we all love and help the players of the past and tomorrow. And to especially help those who need help right now, who have cognitive issues and those whose quality of life has been taken away."
The settlement, unprecedented in sports, came after more than a year of discussions between the sides and two months of court-ordered mediation. Subject to approval by a federal judge, it came exactly a week before the first game of the 2013 season, removing a major legal and financial threat hanging over the sport.
U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody in Philadelphia is expected to rule on the settlement in two to three months but said it "holds the prospect of avoiding lengthy, expensive and uncertain litigation, and of enhancing the game of football."
Ernesto Arguello Cricinfo barry manilow cher Andy Murray Girlfriend anna chapman neil diamond
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.