NFL Commissioner Says League Taking Head Injuries Very Seriously

By Meagan Wiseley – University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell was faced with stern questions from members of the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday regarding the NFL’s devotion to prevention, treatment, and the long term consequences of head injuries sustained by players during games. Goodell defended the NFL’s response to such injuries.

“My approach to this concussion issue in football has been simple and direct – medical considerations must always take priority over competitive considerations,” he said.

Goodell said that his league is devoted to research into concussion prevention. He added that playing rules have been modified over the years to reduce helmet-to-helmet contact and to protect players that have experienced such hits.

“If a player suffers a concussion and loses consciousness, he cannot return to the same game under any circumstances,” said Goodell, who pointed out that this rule was put into effect in 2006.

House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) warranted the hearing by saying, “the causes and pervasiveness of these football injuries warrant federal scrutiny.”

Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Lamar Smith (R-Texas) urged Goodell and other NFL officials to continue to study the potential long-term consequences of head injuries. However, Smith argued that Congress should not “attempt to influence” any injury-related agreements between the NFL and its players union.

In September 2009, a University of Michigan study commissioned by the NFL found that retired football players ages 30-49 may suffer from Alzeheimer’s disease at a higher rate later in life than members of the general population.

Despite these findings, Goodell cited positive results found in the study to defend his sport.

“We also learned that [retired players] have lower rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity than their contemporaries,” he said.