NFL players are at greater risk of dying from a brain disease than the genral population. (velo_city/Creative Commons)

The donation is the largest the foundation has ever received. The announcement was made the same day researchers published a study concluding that former NFL players are prone to dying from degenerative brain disease.

The findings, which were based on a study of more than 3,400 NFL players with at least five seasons in the league between 1959 and 1988, showed that 334 players had died by the end of 2007. Researchers found that NFL players are three times as likely to die from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's diseases when compared to the general population.

"We hope this grant will help accelerate the medical community's pursuit of pioneering research to enhance the health of athletes past, present and future," Goodell said, according to the AP.

Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Carl Eller, the chairman of the board for the Retired NFL Players Association, told the AP the donation would benefit current and future players more than past ones.

"My position would be that it could have been better spent with retired players," Eller said. "I think we have players that could benefit from that more specifically."

Readl the full story at the Associated Press. For more of Neon Tommy's coverage of the NFL, click here.

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