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In a pre-Super Bowl interview on Sunday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell refused to acknowledge that the game of football had any role in the brain injuries suffered by numerous players who are suing the league.

CBS host Bob Schieffer asked Goodell if he would let his son play football after President Barack Obama recently told The New Republic that he would have to "think long and hard" before letting his son play football.

"Absolutely," the NFL commissioner insisted. "I have twin daughters just like the president, and I'm concerned when they play any sport. The second-highest incidents of concussions is actually girls soccer. So what you have to do is to make sure the game is as safe as possible. In the NFL, we're changing the rules, we're making sure the equipment is the best possible equipment, we're investing in research to make sure we can address concussions, not just to make football safer at the NFL level, but all levels in other sports."

"Do you now acknowledge that there is a link between the game and these concussions?" Schieffer pressed, noting that widows of NFL players had urged him to ask the question.

"That's why we're investing in the research," Goodell replied without fully answering the question. "So that we can answer the question, what is the link? What causes some of the injuries that our players are still dealing with? And we take those issues very seriously."

"For years the league would not acknowledge, really, that there was a connection," Schieffer pointed out. "You now acknowledge that there is a connection?"

"Well, Bob, again, we're going to let the medical individuals make those points," Goodell dodged. "We're going to give them the money, advance that science. In the meantime, we have to do everything we can to advance the game and make sure it's safe."

In fact, studies have shown that contact sports like football are linked to concussions, and NFL players are at a higher risk for Alzheimer's, ALS, abnormal brain proteins and depression.

Last year, more than 2,000 former professional football players filed a lawsuit accusing the NFL concealing information about the link between concussions and long-term brain injuries. And the family of former linebacker Junior Seau is also suing the league, alleging that his suicide was linked to concussions sustained while playing the game.

But for his part, Goodell insisted on Sunday that his organization had no role in concealing the risks of concussions.

"In fact, we're all learning more about brain injuries, and the NFL has led the way," he declared. "We started a concussion committee back in the mid-90s with the players' association to study these issues and advance science. We're obviously now learning more and more, and we're investing more and more. And I think that's going to lead to answers, even outside of brain injury, even to brain disease."

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The male equivalent of Michele Bachmann rose up in righteous defense of the leader of Republican party, Rush Limbaugh, at his unfair treatment by the NFL in not allowing him join a group that is intent on buying the St. Louis Rams of the NFL.

And no, Steve King did not use the exact words in the title above but he might just as well have.

REP. STEVE KING (R-IOWA): However, as I listened to the members of this committee discuss this and we've covered a lot of the territory, I note that Sheila Jackson Lee said that she is concerned that owners need the right image, and her opposition to who might be buying the St. Louis Rams, her reason for that is owners that might not have the right image. Now, she wasn't any more specific than that, but we know who she's talking about, and that's Rush Limbaugh. But I would ask Commissioner Goodell this question. Your position on owners have the right image, and I would direct it to your statement on the 13th of October where you said, 'I think it's divisive comments, or they are not what the NFL is all about. I would not want to see those kinds of comments from people who are in responsible positions within the NFL, no, absolutely not.' Now, I take you as a man of your word. But I would point out that you have a couple of owners that have performed lyrics in songs that are far more offensive. In fact, I don't think anything that Rush Limbaugh said was offensive, but with Fergie and with J. Lo, they have, between the two of them, alleged that the CIA are terrorists and liars, they've promoted sexual abuse of women, they've used the N-word, verbal pornography, recreational drug use, et cetera, and they are owners of the Dolphins,

And it is also ironic that Fergie was approved as an owner on the very day that you made your statement against Rush Limbaugh. And I would point out for the committee, the statement that Rush Limbaugh made is this -- that seems to be the one that survives the criticism, and that is: "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They're interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. McNabb got a lot of credit for the performance of the team that he really didn't deserve," close quote.

Now, I've scoured this quote to try to find something that can be implied as racism on the part of Rush Limbaugh, and I can't find it. There is an implication of racism on the part of the media. That's the only quote that seems to survive the scrutiny of chase-checking back original sources in at least nine quotes that were alleged to Rush Limbaugh. And, by the way, of those, eight are complete fabrications. They're not based on anything. They're not a misquote. They're not a distortion. They're complete fabrication. And the one that remains stands true and shines the light against the media, not against Rush Limbaugh. And so if you're concerned about this, Mr. Goodell, then I'd ask you, you know, are you prepared to level the same charges against Fergie and J. Lo, or are you prepared to apologize to Rush Limbaugh today?"