Former NFL quarterback Dan Marino has withdrawn from a suit against the NFL. The suit says the league knew for years there was a link between concussions and long-term health problems. Scientists believe repeated head trauma can cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a progressive degenerative disease of the brain. Symptoms include depression, aggression, and disorientation, but so far scientists can only definitively diagnose it after death. Here are a few of the former athletes who have been diagnosed with CTE. 
Hall of Famer Mike Webster was the first former NFL player to be diagnosed with CTE. After his retirement, Webster suffered from amnesia, dementia, depression, and bone and muscle pain. 
The death of 36-year-old Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Justin Strzelczyk put the link between playing football and CTE in the national spotlight. Strzelczyk was killed in 2004 in a car crash after a 40-mile high-speed chase with police in New York. 
Evidence of CTE was found in the brain of football player Lew Carpenter after his death in 2010 at the age of 78. 
Pro Football Hall of Famer Louis Creekmur, who played for the Detroit Lions from 1950 to 1959, suffered decades of cognitive decline before his death. 
Linebacker John Grimsley of the Houston Oilers died of an accidental gunshot wound to the chest. Analysis of his brain tissue confirmed damage to the neurofibrillary tangles that had begun to affect his behavior and memory. 
Chris Henry played five seasons for the the Cincinnati Bengals before dying at the age of 26. He died after falling from the bed of a moving pickup during a fight with his fiancée, ending a life plagued by behavioral problems. His young age prompted concern over how quickly athletes start to suffer from CTE. 
Offensive lineman Terry Long of the Pittsburgh Steelers commited suicide by drinking antifreeze. Although the antifreeze caused swelling of the brain, football-related brain injuries were a contributing factor to his death. 
Pro Football Hall of Famer John Mackey suffered from dementia for years before dying at the age of 69. 
Ollie Matson played 14 NFL seasons starting in the 1950s and suffered from dementia until his death in 2011. 
Andre Waters spent most of his 12 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before his suicide at age 44. 
Tom McHale of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, right, died in 2008 of an apparent drug overdose at the age of 45. 
Junior Seau took his own life in 2012 at the age of 43. The question of CTE came up immediately after his death; scientists at the National Institutes of Health confirmed the diagnosis in January 2013. 
Wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead at his suburban Atlanta home along with his wife, Nancy, and son in an apparent murder-suicide. Later testing found that the damage to his brain was similar to that of an elderly Alzheimer's patient. 
Reggie Fleming, who played for six NHL teams, mainly in the 1960s, was the first hockey player to be diagnosed with CTE. 
Hockey player Bob Probert was found to have CTE after suffering from heart failure at the age of 45. 
Ryan Freel became the first MLB player to be diagnosed with CTE nearly a year after he committed suicide at age 36.
- About 5,000 former players have sued the NFL over concussion issues
- The league agreed to no cap on the amount of money to be paid out
- A judge will issue her final ruling after a hearing in November
- Active players are not included in the settlement
(CNN) -- A federal judge approved Monday a preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit filed by thousands of former NFL players against the National Football League.
The settlement will provide eligible retired players with baseline neurological exams and include monetary awards for diagnoses of ALS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and early and moderate dementia.
There is no cap on the amount of funds available to pay these monetary awards and all valid claims will be paid in full for 65 years.
"This is an extraordinary settlement for retired NFL players and their families -- from those who suffer with neuro-cognitive illnesses today, to those who are currently healthy but fear they may develop symptoms decades into the future," said the two lead attorneys for the players, Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss.
The settlement also makes provisions for family members of some living and deceased players.
"We are grateful to Judge (Anita) Brody for her guidance and her thoughtful analysis of the issues as reflected in the comprehensive opinion she issued today," said NFL Senior Vice President Anastasia Danias.
Initially there was a $765 million figure on the settlement with $675 million capped. The judge declined in January to approve the deal, saying she was concerned about the amount of money. But the latest agreement reached two weeks ago eliminated a maximum for the monetary award fund.
The NFL will use $75 million for medical tests to help determine if any retired players have brain damage and for treatment.
The retired players could receive between $1.5 million and $5 million depending on their age and the severity of their cognitive impairment. Players with less than five years of experience will receive smaller awards.
The league could pay up to $112.5 million in legal fees, according to the settlement.
About 5,000 former players are involved in the class action but as many as 20,000 might be eligible. Current NFL players are not included in the agreement.
A hearing to assess the fairness of the outcome of the case is scheduled for November 19. The judge will issue her final ruling after that and players can then begin to register for benefits. They will have two years to do so.
CNN's Cristy Lenz contributed to this report.
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