Congressional Report Finds NFL Attempted to Influence Funding Decisions for Brain Disease Research

Over the last several months, report after report has unfolded about the NFL and commissioner, Roger Goodell, attempting to hide the link between football and brain disease. 

As written in "It's Time for the NFL to Stop Hiding the CTE Crisis," the NFL has had numerous circumstances where linking brain disease to football was publicized in the NFL's favor.

The most recent report, a 91-page congressional report, detailing the NFL’s attempts to hide the link between brain disease and football. 

Included in this congressional report:

According to the report, they were displeased with the National Institutes of Health’s decision to appoint Dr. Robert Stern as head of the committee researching CTE. Once the NIH refused to change their decision on Dr. Stern, the NFL pulled its $16 million contribution towards the program. 

However, the NFL did not just pull this $16 million, but attempted to persuade the NIH to redirect the funding towards members of the league’s committee on brain injuries. 

Once the NFL’s attempts to change the committee away from Dr. Stern failed, decided to remove its $16 million agreement to fund the CTE project. With the NFL pulling this money, the project ended up being funded by taxpayers. 

What people don’t see outside this report is that the NFL has continuously proclaimed that they were funders of CTE and brain disease research. 

“In this instance, our investigation has shown that while the NFL had been publicly proclaiming its role as funder and accelerator of important research, it was privately attempting to influence that research,” the report states. 

What the NFL isn’t saying, is that it was warned that if the league pulled its $16 million gift, taxpayers would have to fund the project. Because of this, the NFL decided to offer a $2 million payment to help with “partial contribution” in attempts to help “dampen criticism.” The NIH declined this offer. 

The NFL continues to deny that they withheld funding for this project due to Dr. Stern’s involvement, but emails and phone calls documented by congressional investigators, league officials and representatives said they believed Dr. Stern was biased and his selection marred by a conflict of interest. 

NFL spokesman, Brian McCarthey said, "The NFL rejects the allegations laid out ... There is no dispute that there were concerns raised about both the nature of the study in question and possible conflicts of interest. These concerns were raised for review and consideration through the appropriate channels. ... It is deeply disappointing the authors of the Staff Report would make allegations directed at doctors affiliated with the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee without ever speaking to them."

However, the NFL tried to move the $16 million to another project that would involve members of the league’s brain injury committee. The NFL’s plan was to allow these league researchers to avoid the NIH’s rigorous peer-review process. Of course, the NIH and director, Francis Collins, rejected the idea.

This report is extremely critical of Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, one of the league’s primary advocates opposing Dr. Stern. 

"Dr. Ellenbogen is a primary example of the conflicts of interest between his role as a researcher and his role as an NFL adviser," the report states. "He had been part of a group that applied for the $16 million grant. After his group was not selected, Dr. Ellenbogen became one of the NFL's primary advocates in expressing concerns surrounding the process with the BU grant selection. ... This series of events raises significant questions about Dr. Ellenbogen's own bias."

Since the cut of this $16 million funding, the NIH has struggled to fund this research. They do not wish to take the taxpayers’ money and are continuing to find a middle ground with the NFL on funding this project. Unfortunately, they are yet to hear from the NFL on any sort of funding besides the $2 million. The problem is that the NFL is still trying to fund the $2 million while moving the $16 million into another project controlled by NFL researchers. 

NFLPA executive director, DeMaurice Smith, had this to say on the report. "It's one of the most troubling and disturbing reports I've seen," Smith said, adding he wasn't surprised, however. "It reaffirms the fact that the league has its own view about how they care about players in the NFL."

To read the entire 91-page report click here.