NFL hires Dr. Allen Sills as chief medical officer

PHOENIX (AP) — The NFL has hired Dr. Allen Sills as its chief medical officer.

Sills, a neurosurgeon who has specialized in the treatment of athletes, will fill a new full-time position based in New York.

He comes to the league from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he serves as professor of neurological surgery, orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation. He is the founder and co-director of the Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center.

Sills, 52, will work with NFL team medical staffs, the NFL Players Association and its advisers, as well as experts on the league’s medical committees. He will guide the NFL’s health and research efforts and is expected to begin his new job in May, but will continue to be active at Vanderbilt.

“We sought a highly credentialed physician and leader with experience as a clinician and researcher, and Dr. Sills’ extensive experience caring for athletes makes him the right choice for this important position,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said.

“We were looking for someone respected in the neurological spaces and also who has an appreciation for the culture around athletes,” Miller said. “Allen hits both marks and that stood out.

“Hiring Dr. Sills is a touchdown for the NFL,” Cantu said. “He is an international leader for his work on concussions in sports.”