Seau’s family settles lawsuit with the NFL

The family of the late NFL star Junior Seau has settled its wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL over the popular San Diego linebacker’s 2012 suicide.

The confidential settlement comes after the family opted out of the NFL concussion settlement covering more than 20,000 retired players. That plan pays up to $4 million to families of men like Seau, who were found after their deaths to have the brain deterioration chronic traumatic encephalopathy, known as CTE.

The youngest of Seau’s four children recently turned 18, family lawyer Steven Strauss said. Seau’s older children include a daughter who works at ESPN and a son who plays lacrosse at Duke University, Strauss said. Seau was 43 when he died six years ago.

“I’m glad that it’s resolved for them now so they can move on with their lives,” Strauss said Friday, when notice of the settlement was filed in federal court in Philadelphia, where the NFL concussion cases are being handled.

“It took a long time. That was frustrating, but it was successfully settled, and that’s good,” Strauss said.

The broader settlement, which covers more than 20,000 retired players, provides up to $4 million for a death involving CTE. Payments have been awarded in 66 of the 86 CTE claims filed as of Oct. 1, according to the latest report. Lawyers for the players expect payouts to top $1.4 billion over 65 years for the six qualifying conditions, which also include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia. The claims panel has approved more than $500 million in awards and paid out about $330 million to date.

Jets aide has serious illness: New York Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers is dealing with what coach Todd Bowles calls a “serious” illness and it’s uncertain if he’ll be on the sideline for the game against Denver.

“He’s a tough guy,” Bowles said. “It’s a serious thing.”

Rodgers and the Jets’ other coordinators usually meet with reporters every Thursday. But the team said Rodgers had an appointment with doctors and would speak Friday.

However, a visibly concerned Bowles announced Rodgers was sick and wasn’t at the facility.

Bowles, a close friend of Rodgers, wouldn’t go into details about what is ailing the 49-year-old coach.