The NFL's sudden acknowledgement of a link between football and brain disease comes as a U.S. appeals court prepares to rule on the fairness of a likely $1 billion settlement that excludes future CTE diagnoses. The NFL filed a letter with the court this week after league official Jeff Miller, senior vice president for health and safety, acknowledged that brain research on deceased players ''certainly'' shows a link between football and CTE. ''Simply put, Mr. Miller's remarks have no bearing on the pending appeal,'' NFL lawyer Paul Clement argued in a letter filed late Tuesday. More...