Retired NFL players can claim from $1.5 million to $5 million in base awards, depending on diagnosis, age at diagnosis, and seasons played. The NFL concussion settlement is the court-approved deal that pays retired players with qualifying brain conditions linked to pro football.
Actual payments are often lower than the maximums. Reductions apply for older age, shorter careers, and certain medical history. According to NPR/KHSU reporting, the top base amounts reach $5 million for ALS and step down by condition on the award grid.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Khsu — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Check eligibility on Legalclarity’s official study page — Use this page to check the study’s participation requirements.
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What are the maximum payments?
ALS carries the highest base award at $5 million. Death with CTE carries up to $4 million. Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease each carry up to $3.5 million. Moderate impairment pays less than a named disease.
Level 2 neurocognitive impairment carries up to $3 million. Level 1.5 impairment carries up to $1.5 million. Those figures are starting points, not guarantees. Age and career length then adjust the final check. A younger player with a longer career keeps more of the grid amount.
Who can still qualify?
The class covers players who retired on or before July 7, 2014 with at least one-half Eligible Season. It also covers representatives of players who died or became incapacitated. LegalClarity explains these cutoffs in its summary of eligibility and payout rules. Registration was required by Aug. 7, 2017.
That deadline matters because late registration can block an otherwise valid claim. Families should check whether the player was registered before gathering medical records. Death-with-CTE claims face a narrow cutoff. They are limited to players who died before final approval on April 22, 2015 with a qualifying postmortem diagnosis by a board-certified neuropathologist. Later CTE findings do not fit this category.
What reduces the award?
Age at diagnosis is a major factor. Full grid amounts generally require diagnosis before age 45. Older age at diagnosis moves the award down the grid. Career length is the second major factor.
Players with five or more Eligible Seasons receive higher percentages. Players with fewer seasons receive less for the same diagnosis. Medical history and program participation can also cut payment. Awards face a 75% reduction for a prior medically diagnosed stroke or unrelated severe traumatic brain injury. Skipping the baseline exam brings about a 10% offset.
How do players get paid?
Claims go to independent administrator BrownGreer PLC through nflconcussionsettlement.com, not the NFL. Legacy Pro Sports reports that more than $1 billion had already been approved through the claims administrator. The fund must pay all valid claims in full over a 65-year term ending in 2082. It is uncapped, so payment does not depend on how many other players qualify.
That structure protects later-diagnosed players. The deal includes more than cash awards. It provides a $75 million Baseline Assessment Program of free exams. It also provides a $10 million education fund.