National Football League

NFL's $1 billion concussion settlement upheld by federal appeals court

Published Apr. 18, 2016 11:02 a.m. ET

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A federal court of appeals ruled Monday to uphold the NFL's concussion settlement with retired players that will cost the league an estimated $1 billion in payouts to those affected by certain neurological disorders.

The terms of the settlement were appealed in August 2015, after a number of former players took issue with the lack of coverage for future cases of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The NFL recently admitted a link between football and CTE, however, the admission did not play into the decision from the appeals court.

The appellate judges said that while the settlement is not perfect, it is fair.

"They risk making the perfect the enemy of the good,'' the court said of the players who raised concern over the settlement. "This settlement will provide nearly $1 billion in value to the class of retired players. It is a testament to the players, researchers and advocates who have worked to expose the true human costs of a sport so many love."

The original settlement was approved in April 2015, which will cover more than 21,000 players for 65 years, according to the NFL. The maximum amount awarded could be up to $5 million in compensation, but the average payment is expected to be around $190,000. Amounts will vary based on a recipients' age and NFL experience.

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