On the eve of the NFL season-opening game Wednesday, the announcement that the NFL had donated $30 million to the National Institute of Health had caught the attention of the national media.

The Washington Post pointed out that brain-related research will help more than football players.

In addition, officials said, the research funded by the NFL?s donation could address other medical issues such as joint disease, heat illness, sudden cardiac death in youth athletes, acute and chronic pain, and the health effects of the use of human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing substances.

The Bleacher Report noted that this donation shows the NFL is serious about its safety push.

Research is the best way to find the best treatments, and for the NFL to give its largest donation in league history for player safety, it proves that Goodell is serious about making sports safer.

ProFootballTalk.com said the donation stands at at a critical time for the league.

It?s a generous gift, and to be applauded, even as it comes at a time when the league is being sued for its inattention to head injuries by more than 3,000 former players.

The Sports Xchange also noted the importance of this move.

The unrestricted gift is the single-largest donation the league has made in its 92-year history and underscores the focus on player health and safety.