Woods is appealing, backed by heavyweights including the National Football League Players Association and the estates of Elvis Presley and John Wayne.

FORBES: Publicity Shy

"We recognize that football is an inherently dangerous game, " said Sean Sansiveri, lead counsel on the project for the National Football League Players Association.

WSJ: NFL Players Fund $100 Million Health Study at Harvard

The guidelines are endorsed by the American Football Coaches Association, the National Association of Emergency Medical Service Physicians and the National Football League Players Association.

WSJ: Tougher Rules Advised for Athletes After Concussion

Despite what has gone on in courtrooms thus far, it is likely that neither the National Football League (NFL) nor the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) has the stomach for the ruling yet-to-come from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

FORBES: The NFL Lockout: A Policy With No Teeth?