Thursday's health and safety news from the world of football:
- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks will be fined $15,750 for hitting New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees around the neck last Friday, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
- NFL.com via ESPN reported that Brooks won't accept charity from former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who offered to pay half of Brooks' fine because of outrage over the hit.
- Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Petersontold Fox Sports that he thinks the NFL safety rules treat quarterbacks like babies.
- The Associated Press reported that NFL TV analyst Dan Dierdorf announced his retirement after 30 years in broadcasting and 13 years as a player.
- The Columbus Dispatch reported that Rep. Joyce Beatty and Rep. Charlie Dent are cosponsors of a bill that threatens to withhold federal funding from colleges that do not require institutions to conduct baseline concussion testing of every athlete who participates in a contact or limited-contact sport.
- WPMI-TV in Mobile, Ala., looked at what area neurologists are doing to protect kids from concussions.
- The Advocate in Stamford, Conn., reported that the city's schools will now require a concussion consent form parents for kids to play sports.
-- Bill Bradley, contributing editor