NFL concussion settlement gets OK

League expected to pay out $ 1 billion over 65 years

A federal judge has approved a settlement agreement that is expected to cost the NFL $ 1 billion over 65 years to resolve thousands of concussion lawsuits.

NFL actuaries project about 6,000 of the league’s nearly 20,000 retired players could someday develop Alzheimer’s disease or moderate dementia over the life of the deal approved Wednesday by a federal judge in Philadelphia.

The average award would be about $ 190,000. Awards could reach $ 1 million to $ 5 million for those diagnosed in their 30s and 40s with Parkinson’s disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease, or for deaths involving chronic brain trauma.

The benefits process could start this summer, but any appeal would delay all payments indefinitely.

“What matters now is time, and many retired players do not have much left,” said plaintiff Kevin Turner, a former New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles running back who has Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The league has been dogged for years by complaints that it long hid the risks of repeated concussions to return players to the field.

Senior U. S. District Judge Anita Brody approved the settlement after twice sending it back to lawyers over concerns the fund might run out. The settlement approval, a week before the NFL draft, ends a nearly four- year legal fight.

The NFL suspended n defensive end Greg Hardy for 10 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league after concluding there was “credible evidence” he roughed up his ex- girlfriend nearly a year ago when he was a member of the Carolina Panthers. Hardy, who joined the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent on a one- year, incentiveladen deal, plans to appeal.

San Diego Chargers n general manager Tom Telesco spoke effusively about quarterback Philip Rivers’ future with the team during the team’s pre- draft news conference, saying “Philip’s our quarterback. It’s our plan and intent that he’s our quarterback well into the future,” Telesco said. It’s been rumored for weeks that Rivers, who doesn’t want to move to Los Angeles if the team does, could be traded to Tennessee so the Chargers can draft Marcus Mariota with the second pick.

The Cincinnati Bengals n have extended coach Marvin Lewis’ contract by one year through the 2016 season. Lewis has coached the Bengals for 12 seasons.

Olympics

Mixed martial arts fighter Anderson Silva says he will fight for a spot in the Brazilian taekwondo team at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Soccer

Exactly one week after scoring his first goal for the U. S. senior national team against Mexico, Stanford sophomore Jordan Morris scored in the U. S. under- 23 team’s 3- 0 victory in a friendly against Mexico’s U- 23. Former Cal defender Christian Dean also scored for the U. S.

Oribe Peralta scored n in the 89th minute to give America a 1- 1 tie with the Montreal Impact in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final in Mexico City.

Miscellany

Tickets to the Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Manny Pacquiao fight will finally go on sale Thursday to the public, little more than a week before the bout. There will be only some 500 tickets sold to the general public for boxing’s richest fight ever, beginning at noon. The ticket sale comes after the rival camps settled final details on the fight contract and how tickets would be allotted.

UNLV sophomore n forward Christian Wood is leaving the Rebels early to enter the NBA draft. He is projected as a first- round pick.