NFL to pledge $100 million to player safety amid concussion concerns

Commissioner Roger Goodell says in a letter that 'we can and will do better'

The NFL will pledge $100 million to player safety amid ever-growing concerns about the effect of head injuries on players' long-term health.

Commissioner Roger Goodell outlined the plan in letter posted to Playsmartplaysafe.com, noting that, "...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."

"We know there is skepticism about our work in this area," he continued. "That's why both the process and the results of our work will be shared with the medical community and the public at large."

The goal of the initiative, according to Goodell, is "to drive progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of head injuries, enhance medical protocols and further improve the way the game is taught and played by all who love it."

The initiative will be organized into "four pillars," according to Goodell's letter: Protecting players, advanced technology, medical research and sharing progress.

"Another of our goals," Goodell wrote, "is to explore the concept of position-specific helmets. After all, we know from tracking game and injury data that linemen experience different impacts than a wide receiver or a defensive back. Yet their protective equipment is the same."

The commissioner says $60 million will go toward developing technologies while more than $40 million will be allocated to medical research.

"This is an example of how we will let science lead the way," Goodell wrote. "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's letter comes days after Panthers quarterback Cam Newton took multiple head shots during the season opener but was allowed to remain in the game.

Still, despite the growing concerns, the commissioner writes that the benefits of football far outweigh the risks.

"Long ago, before I was NFL Commissioner, I was a high school football player," Goodell wrote. "I played safety for the Bronxville High School Broncos. Those were among the happiest days of my life.

"The values I gained from that experience -- grit, commitment to team, hard work and how to conduct oneself in both victory and defeat -- are values I've applied throughout my adult life."