Clinton Portis Calls Concussion Settlement ‘Win-Win for Both Sides'

The NFL reached a tentative $765 million settlement over concussion-related brain injuries Thursday, agreeing to compensate victims, pay for medical exams and underwrite research for 18,000 retired players, including the 4,500 former athletes named as plaintiffs in the separate lawsuits against the league.

One of those players, former Redskins running back Clinton Portis, who recently revealed he had “a lot of concussions” in his career, which have since led to memory loss, blurry vision and headaches, called the landmark agreement a “win-win for both sides.”

“For those families to be able to go out and still provide for themselves, I think it’s going to give money to families,” Portis told 106.7 The Fan’s Lavar and Dukes Thursday. “There’s so many categories that this money will be broken up to, so it’s not like players are just going to go in and pick up a lump sum check and you’re done. I think it’s for preparation down the line, and that’s what a lot of people needed.”

Part of that money has been allotted for future testing, because as Portis put it, “we still don’t know the repercussions of the concussions.”

“There’s so many categories that this money will be broken up to, so it’s not like players are just going to go in and pick up a lump sum check and you’re done,” he said. “I think it’s for preparation down the line, and that’s what a lot of people needed.”

Portis stressed the importance of players educating themselves, which he insists will be easier now that the NFL and it’s players are on the same page with concussions.

“I don’t think the league or the union wants to turn this into ‘Let’s sue for everything. Let’s sue the NFL for everything that happens on the field to someone,’” Clinton said. “I think when we sign up for football, we’re really aware of what we’re signing up for and knowing that we can go out and get hurt, and get banged up.”

“It’s not going to solve everything,” Portis clarified. “You can’t find an answer to solve everything that’s going on in life, and you can’t blame the NFL for everything that’s happening.”


(cbslocal.com)