NFL offices in Inglewood, Calif. Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Hundreds of former Black players whose dementia tests were rescored to eliminate racial bias now qualify for awards as part of the league's $1 billion concussion settlement, AP reports.
Why it matters: The newly approved payouts are a victory for NFL families in the decade-long legal saga over concussions, per AP.
Catch up quick: The NFL's race-adjusted system assumed Black people have lower baseline cognitive skills than white people, meaning that Black players must show a larger cognitive decline to qualify for a settlement, Axios' Jeff Tracy reports.
- Tests were rescored after former Washington running back Ken Jenkins and his wife petitioned the federal judge overseeing the settlement to rescore the tests and make the changes.
Details: Of the 646 Black men whose tests were rescored, about half will qualify for dementia awards, per AP.
- 61 of those men are classified with early to moderate dementia and will receive awards topping $600,000. Around 250 more have milder dementia and will get awards up to $35,000.
- The NFL did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.
What they're saying: "Now we’re really focused on getting as many players who deserve compensation to be compensated," Jenkins told AP.