After hard-hitting criticism, NFL will invest $100 million for head injury research

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday the league will commit $100 million toward medical research and engineering advancements to help prevent, diagnose and treat head injuries.

“The NFL has been a leader on health and safety in many ways, and we’ve made some real strides in recent years,” Goodell wrote in an open letter to announce the league’s “Play Smart. Play Safe” initiative. “But when it comes to addressing head injuries in our game, I’m not satisfied, and neither are the owners of the NFL’s 32 clubs. We can and will do better.”

In addition to the $100 million Goodell says the NFL and its partners already are spending on medical and neuroscience research, $40 million from the new initiative will go toward medical research over the next five years.

“The goal is to pursue scientific research to examine the long-term effects of concussion, the incidence and prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and what can be done to improve long-term player health,” Goodell wrote. “This includes investing in research to explore new and effective ways to treat concussions.”

In addition, $60 million will go toward “championing new developments in engineering, biomechanics, advanced sensors and material science that mitigate forces and better prevent against injuries in contact sports and recreational sports and for our military.”

The announcement comes less than a week after the league faced criticism following the season opener between Carolina and Denver, during which Panthers quarterback Cam Newton remained in the game after sustaining multiple helmet-to-helmet hits.