The federal judge overseeing the N.F.L. concussion settlement formally removed the use of a race-based method to evaluate dementia tests of Black former players, paving the way for thousands of players to file claims worth potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The order issued on [March 4] by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody, who has overseen the case since it began in 2012, ends a contentious, 18-month fight that began after two former players sued the N.F.L. for discrimination.
The administrator of the settlement now must rescore dementia tests taken by several thousand Black former players who had submitted claims. They will be notified if their new scores allow them to file a claim for a financial payout. If they meet scoring thresholds and have a qualifying diagnosis, their claims are still subject to the N.F.L.’s appeal and their cases can be audited.
“I think it is a step in the right direction,” said [former NFL player Najeh] Davenport, who with [Kevin] Henry filed the discrimination suit in 2020. “With race relations in America, we have a long way to go. I was glad to contribute. I hope other organizations take heed and do the right thing.”
