elping them move from 17 to 10, while the San

NEW YORK -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell took issue with the notion that the leagues $765 million settlement with former players is a paltry sum compared to the sports revenues. "This is a significant amount of money," he said Wednesday. "The plaintiffs also agreed it was an appropriate amount. The mediator felt it was an appropriate amount." Goodell made his first public comments since the settlement to the lawsuits was announced last week. More than 4,500 former players, some of them suffering from Alzheimers disease or depression, accused the NFL of concealing the long-term dangers of concussions and rushing injured players back onto the field. "We were able to find common ground to be able to get relief to the players and their families now rather than spending years litigating," Goodell said at an event in Manhattan to promote Februarys New York/New Jersey Super Bowl. The settlement was announced last Thursday after two months of court-ordered mediation and is subject to approval by a federal judge. It does not include an admission from the NFL that it hid information from players about head injuries. "We think its the right thing to move forward and try to do what we can to help our players," Goodell said. Some former players questioned the size of the settlement, considering it stretches over 20 years and will be divided among thousands of people -- and considering the NFL takes in more than $9 billion a year, a figure that will rise when new TV contracts start in 2014. Goodell noted that those billions are revenues, not profits. The settlement applies to all past NFL players and spouses of those who are deceased -- a group that could total more than 20,000. It sets aside $75 million for medical exams and $10 million for medical research. Individual payouts would be capped at $5 million for men with Alzheimers disease; $4 million for those diagnosed after their deaths with a brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy; and $3 million for players with dementia. The NFLs litigation may still not be over. Four former players filed a federal lawsuit in New Orleans on Sunday against the league and helmet maker Riddell, claiming they hid information about the dangers of brain injury. They want medical care for past, current and future NFL players. As the league and retired players debate what happened in the past, the NFL has promoted its initiatives aimed at making the game safer. Goodell appeared on "CBS This Morning" earlier Wednesday to help announce a program with Under Armour and GE to donate money toward projects that prevent head injuries. John Hannah Patriots Jersey . -- Justin Verlander took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight decision, leading Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Sunday and extending the Tigers winning streak to a season-high five games. Kevin Faulk Youth Jersey . The Packers, Lions and Bears were a combined 35-15 and as long as Jay Cutler can say healthy, all three could make the playoffs in 2012. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Steve-Grogan-Patriots-Jersey/ . -- The guys in green raced off the court and into the locker room where they danced and sang, compared whose shot was most likely to end up featured on "One Shining Moment," and checked Twitter to see who was giving them a shoutout. John Hannah Womens Jersey . The freestyle skier from Calgary finished sixth in the qualification round with a total of 82.00 points. Groenewoud won a silver medal at the X Games last month, just over five weeks after undergoing double knee surgery. Sony Michel Jersey . Here are some of the best from Week One and some to watch in Week Two: TOP PERFORMERS Anthony Allen, RB, Saskatchewan (176 YDS, 2 TD, 30 touches vs. Hamilton) - Powerfully-built back burst onto the scene in his CFL debut, after a couple of years in the NFL, playing 21 games with the Baltimore Ravens.The Atlanta Braves remain the top team in the TSN.ca MLB Power Rankings, ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers. The Rangers climbed, from seven to three, getting third baseman Adrian Beltre and left-handed starter Matt Harrison off the DL. Stellar pitching has lifted the Kansas City Royals from 14 to eight, while surprisingly potent bats have raised the White Sox from 16 to nine. Cole Hamels returned to the Philadelphia Phillies rotation, helping them move from 17 to 10, while the San Francisco Giants are up from 19 to 13 despite their pitching struggles, and the New York Mets, with solid starting pitching, have jumped from 27 to 16. Heading the other way, the L.ddddddddddddA. Angels of Anaheim dip from nine to 14, in part due to both starting corner outfielders being hurt. The Toronto Blue Jays snapped a four-game losing streak Sunday, but they still drop from 12 to 17. After getting swept out of Los Angeles, the Cincinnati Reds fall from 13 to 20, the Miami Marlins go from 15 to 21, Tampa Bay Rays crash from 10 to 23 and the San Diego Padres go from 18 to 25. Its still relatively early so the fluctuations tend to be larger than they are later in the season. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '