NEW YORK — The NFL has fired the head of its communications department, according to an NFL memo obtained by ESPN.
The NFL had said it would not discipline Tom Heckert for violating league rules and its bylaws.
The memo from NFL vice president of communications Jay Wright did not specify whether Heckert had been terminated, but Wright said the league did not believe it was appropriate to respond to a media request for comment.
The report by ESPN also quoted Heckert as saying that the league has been in touch with the NFL Players Association to address issues related to concussions.
The league had previously said that it is “working with the leaguePA to address any concerns that may arise.”
The league has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect players from head injuries and for a lack of a unified approach to concussive head injuries, particularly among NFL teams.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced last week that the NFLPA would investigate the issue.
The union said in a statement Tuesday that it “has received assurances from the league that we will be provided information and assistance as required by the law.
We look forward to cooperating fully with the investigation.”
The NFLPA has asked for a copy of the league’s concussion protocol.
The team said Wednesday that it had received a letter from Heckert that contained “a request to interview and interview in person by a member of the NFL executive committee and a request to be interviewed by NFL personnel regarding any and all aspects of the policy and protocol.”