NFL drops appeal over dementia claims in concussion case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The NFL is dropping efforts to fight certain dementia diagnoses in a landmark concussion case after lawyers for players accused the league of trying to delay payments and rewrite the $1 billion settlement.

A federal court hearing set for Thursday on the NFL's appeal has been canceled. Instead, U.S. District Judge Anita Brody on Wednesday in Philadelphia ordered doctors to justify their findings in the contested cases.

The league had asked to challenge some dementia diagnoses made by settlement-approved doctors and upheld by a court-appointed special master whose decisions are supposed to be final.

Retired players can seek awards of up to $3 million for dementia claims, although most men would get far less. The settlement resolves thousands of lawsuits over NFL concussions through a fund designed to last 65 years.