No payments will be made to players until all appeals are exhausted, though, something that Wooden has had to explain to retirees who hope to receive payments of up to $5 million from the N.F.L. sooner rather than later.

Wooden, now a financial adviser to small companies and families, receives calls from former players every week, a job for which he has thus far received no compensation. He also meets players at events held by the players’ union, Dolphins alumni and other groups.

“Guys see my name on 6,000 filings, so they feel comfortable enough to approach me,” said Wooden, who endured several concussions in the N.F.L. and has headaches and problems sleeping. “I’ve seen early onset of dementia, Alzheimer’s, but seeing it in guys you know, guys you relate to, it’s nerve-racking. You wonder if you’re going to be one of those players in the future.”

Despite these concerns, Wooden lets his 16-year-old son, Blake, play tackle football in part because, he said, the lawsuit against the N.F.L. has raised awareness of the dangers of concussions and improved the prevention of and care for them.

One of the most outspoken supporters of the settlement has been Kevin Turner, a fullback who played eight years with the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. As class representative for players who already have an illness for which they can be compensated, he has spoken often with reporters and players about the settlement and his A.L.S., which stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and is often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

But Turner is now on a ventilator and needs a computer to communicate, which has made Wooden’s role more critical. Wooden’s chatty, upbeat demeanor aside, he said his work as a financial adviser had shaped his support for the settlement. In his mind, the deal should be viewed as an insurance policy for players who become sick during the next 65 years — the length of the settlement — not as a get-rich scheme. Critically, he said, the league has agreed to pay for medical monitoring of players.