NEW YORK (AP) -- The NFL will be hiring a full-time chief medical officer to work with team medical staffs, the players' union and league committees.
In a letter sent to the 32 team presidents and obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the chief medical officer also would work with ''the broader independent scientific and medical communities.''
The new hire will replace Dr. Eliot Pellman, who is retiring after 30 years in the league, and will have expanded duties.
Pellman mostly played an administrative role that included communication with NFL clubs regarding health and safety protocols.