New report outlines NFL interference in concussion research

The San Francisco 49ers take on the Denver Broncos in action from a 2010 game in London. (credit: Mark Botham)

The National Football League, one of the largest funders of brain research in the US, has subtly worked to influence research efforts and downplay the link between brain disease and the beloved sport, a new report by ESPN's Outside the Lines alleges.

On the surface, the league and its partners appear to altruistically support scientific studies on the effects of hard-hitting sports, such as football, donating more than $100 million to brain research efforts that may not otherwise have been supported. Behind the scenes, however, the organization has tried to funnel the money back to NFL-affiliated scientists and reneged on contributions when researchers came up with discomforting data, the investigation finds.

In light of the funding environment, some brain researchers have compared the NFL’s actions to those of Big Tobacco in the days when the cigarette makers spent millions of dollars to buy off researchers and fund studies that denied links between smoking and serious health effects.