Conflict of interest for NFL doctors to report to teams: Harvard study

By Scott Malone BOSTON (Reuters) - The doctors who patrol the sidelines of NFL games to assess whether injured players can safely return to the field should report to the league and players' union rather than individual teams, said a Harvard University study released on Thursday. The condition has been diagnosed in former players including Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau and Pro Bowl safety Dave Duerson, who both committed suicide. While emphasizing that the current structure is not deliberately unethical, it said team doctors, trainers and other medical staff may feel pressured to return injured players to the game more quickly than medically warranted to ensure the team remains competitive.