Goodell: No issue with how Redskins handled Griffin injury

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Saturday that he has no issues with how the Washington Redskins' medical staff handled Robert Griffin III's knee injury.

However, he expects changes with how non-head injuries are handled during games.

Griffin had reconstructive ACL surgery Wednesday after reinjuring his right knee last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. He was clearly hurt early in the game but did not exit until late in the fourth quarter. Seattle beat Washington and advanced to the NFC divisional round.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan was widely questioned for leaving Griffin in the game but Goodell said it was a "medical decision."

"Now, people can argue whether it was the wrong decision, but it was a medical decision and that's what we want it to be," Goodell said.

"Will we make further changes? Yeah, I would anticipate we will. We'll always look at that and try to see what else we can do to make sure the proper medical attention is being given, that they make the best medical evaluation and it's their determination to make."

Goodell was not critical of well-known orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who was on the Redskins' sideline and is on retainer for the team.

"I think he made a judgment and the team made a judgment, and Robert Griffin seems to be comfortable with it, too," Goodell said. "I think as long as they are medical decisions, that is our primary objective."

Also:

---Goodell responded to recent findings that former linebacker Junior Seau had a degenerative brain disease commonly linked with repeated blows to the head when he shot himself in the chest last year.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers said earlier in the week that Seau's abnormalities were consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Goodell said the findings reinforce the need to further research CTE and that the NFL has donated a $30 million research grant to the NIH and will give another $70 million.

"It's why we're investing in the research is to find out more about it, CTE, in particular, but also brain injury and brain disease," Goodell said. "And we need to have a lot more research because there's still unfortunately a lot of unknowns."

Seau played for 20 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots before retiring in 2009. His family requested analysis of his brain after he committed suicide at age 43 last year.

---Goodell did not decide on when to reinstate New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for the season because of the team's "bounty" scandal.

---The commissioner has not made a decision on expanding the playoffs.