already have been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs disease, Parkinsons, Alzheimers or dementia could begin receiving payments in 90 to 120 days.This is a historical moment for the retired player community who, in the face of great adversity, took on the NFL, said attorney Christopher Seeger, who represented

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the final two challenges to the estimated $1 billion settlement between the NFL and thousands of its former players who have been diagnosed with brain injuries linked to repeated concussions. Players who already have been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs disease, Parkinsons, Alzheimers or dementia could begin receiving payments in 90 to 120 days.This is a historical moment for the retired player community who, in the face of great adversity, took on the NFL, said attorney Christopher Seeger, who represented the class of more than 20,000 former NFL players now eligible for payments for the next 65 years.Despite the difficult health situations retired players face today, and that many more will unfortunately face in the future, they can have peace of mind knowing that this settlements benefits will finally become available to them and will last for decades to come.The league has estimated that 6,000 former players -- or nearly three in 10 -- could develop Alzheimers disease or moderate dementia. Payments could be as high as $5 million for those with Lou Gehrigs disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS; the average payout is expected to be closer to $190,000.Seeger said more than 11,000 have pre-registered for benefits.We will make sure that every single eligible retired player takes advantage of this settlements benefits, he told reporters in a conference call. We will be undertaking a massive education effort to ensure that all former NFL players know about the settlements benefits and understand how to file a claim.The class-action lawsuit filed in Philadelphia accused the NFL of hiding what it knew about the link between concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease that has been found in dozens of former players after their deaths. Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody approved the deal last year after twice sending it back to lawyers over concerns the fund might run out.The deal was upheld by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in April.We must hesitate before rejecting that bargain based on an unsupported hope that sending the parties back to the negotiating table would lead to a better deal, Judge Thomas L. Ambro wrote for the unanimous three-judge panel that affirmed the settlement.But two separate petitions -- one from the family of late Buffalo Bills fullback Cookie Gilchrist, and the other from a group of 31 players that included including 1996 Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown and Hall of Famer Charles Haley -- asked the nations highest court to stop the settlement. Their requests for a Supreme Court hearing were rejected without comment from the justices on Monday.The NFL admitted no fault as part of the settlement, though a league official did acknowledge during congressional testimony that there is a link between football and CTE. The deal avoids the need for a trial and means the NFL may never have to disclose what it knew and when about the risks and treatment of repeated concussions.Still, Seeger said, much progress has been made.When this lawsuit was first filed, discussions over concussions and player safety in the NFL were rare, and holding the NFL accountable seemed almost impossible, Seeger said. But with the help of these players, more and more attention is placed on the issue of safety and head injuries in sports. Those who had the courage to file suit and take on this cause deserve tremendous credit for what they have achieved.In a statement, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league was pleased with the decision.We look forward to working with class counsel and Judge Brody to implement the settlement and provide the important benefits that our retired players and their families have been waiting to receive, McCarthy said.Critics complained that the settlement approved by Brody does not cover future CTE cases. The lead negotiators said they instead set aside compensation for treatment for some CTE symptoms. That does not include the depression, aggression and mood swings reported by some former players who experienced repeated concussions.Other payments are expected to be around $4 million for past CTE deaths and $3.5 million for advanced Alzheimers disease. They will not need to prove that their diagnosis is the result of NFL football to receive an award, Seeger said.Players lawyers who negotiated the deal with the NFL -- and stand to split $112 million in fees -- say the settlement will help families get needed financial awards or medical testing that might take years if the case went to trial.Ambro agreed.Compensation for players who are coping with these symptoms now is surely preferable to waiting until they die to pay their estates for a CTE diagnosis, the judge wrote.Seeger closed his comments by thanking former New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles fullback Kevin Turner, who was the lead plaintiff in the litigation. Researchers announced last month that Turner suffered from CTE to a degree that they had not seen for an athlete who died in his 40s.Its really important that people understand that without the commitment that Kevin made, it wouldnt be possible to get where we are, Seeger said. I end this on somewhat of a sad note that Kevin couldnt be here to see this.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Wholesale Football Jerseys China . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. http://www.stitchedwholesalejerseys.com/ . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. NFL Stitched Jerseys . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. As opposites do attract we are set for a corker of an opener. Discount Football Jerseys . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. What happened last night that you need to know about? Joe McDonald gives us his take on the biggest and best performances. This is where we say, Morning, Joe.Carey-ing the Habs: It makes you wonder how the Montreal Canadiens would have fared last season if goaltender Carey Price hadnt sustained a season-ending knee injury last November. Without Price, the Canadiens imploded and finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 38-38-6 record. Well, Montreal is playing terrific hockey to begin this season (5-0-1), and goaltending has led the way. After missing the first three games because of the flu, Price returned to the lineup and has played the past three games. On Monday, he made 31 saves en route to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Its incredible to see how much confidence a team has when it has the worlds best goaltender in net. Yes, Al Montoya was solid (2-0-1) during the first three games, but Price brings an entirely different level when hes healthy and productive. Case in point: During the waning minutes against the Flyers, Montreal had a 2-1 lead when Price made a huge pad save to secure the one-goal advantage before the Canadiens added an empty-net goal at the other end of the ice. Also for the Habs, keep an eye on Alexander Radulov. The 30-year-old forward returned to the NHL this season from the KHL, and hes already having a significant impact for the Canadiens. He scored the empty-net goal and added two assists Monday to help Montreal extend its winning streak to four games. He has two goals and three assists for five points in six games this season.Elliott delivers: We also saw outstanding goaltending for both the Chicago Blackhawks Corey Crawford and the Calgary Flames Brian Elliott. With the game knotted at 2-2 after regulation and OT, both goalies were perfect in the shootouut until the Flames Kris Versteeg scored in the seventh round for a 3-2 victory.dddddddddddd Elliott, who entered the game with a 0-3-0 record, with a 4.72 goals-against average and an .839 save percentage, was outstanding late in the game, including six saves in OT. He finished with 31 saves in his best start for the Flames since Calgary acquired him from the St. Louis Blues in June. This is why the Flames needed a goalie like Elliott, and he finally produced. This could be the type of performance that gets him rolling. Crawford, who finished with 29 saves, is 1-3-1 this season.Crease crisis: And keeping with the goaltender theme, a couple of teams are dealing with injuries between the pipes. The Los Angeles Kings are without both starter Jonathan Quick and backup Jeff Zatkoff because of injuries. Quick sustained a groin injury in the season opener and hes expected to miss three months. Zatkoff sustained a groin injury during the morning skate Saturday and was also placed on injured reserve. For now, the Kings will rely on Peter Budaj and Jack Campbell, but its likely general manager Dean Lombardi will attempt to acquire a goalie via trade. In Boston, the Bruins are also dealing with injury woes to their masked men. Veteran No. 1 Tuukka Rask sustained an undisclosed injury in a game against the New Jersey Devils last Thursday and has not played or practiced since. On Monday, backup Anton Khudobin sustained an injury to his right arm during practice and did not return. He had X-rays taken in the afternoon, and his status is unclear as the Bruins prepare to host the Minnesota Wild Tuesday night at TD Garden. 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