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ESPN will air commercials for Will Smith's NFL drama 'Concussion'

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Concussion Columbia Pictures

ESPN will run advertisements for "Concussion."

Commercials for the controversial Will Smith movie about NFL players suffering from brain damage due to the violent blows they take, have been "accepted" at the network and will begin airing soon, a well-placed source told The Hollywood Reporter.

It is unclear if the spots will run during Monday Night Football or any other NFL-related programming. ESPN's Monday Night Football deal — the richest among the league's TV partners— extends through 2021 and is worth $15.2 billion to the NFL.

A request for comment to Sony, the NFL Network, NBC, CBS and Fox Sports on “Concussion” spots was not immediately returned. 

ESPN declined to comment. 

The film, set for a Christmas Day release, is already generating Oscar buzz for Smith who portrays Nigerian-born Bennet Omalu, a Pittsburgh-based doctor who attempts to expose the correlation between the beating players take on the field and deadly head trauma. 

In 2013, ESPN ended its high-profile collaboration with PBS' Frontline on a concussion investigation project, “League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis.” The collaboration was axed after pressure from the NFL, according to a New York Times report at the time.

Previously, the NFL said it plans to combat the negative PR from the film by hosting a series of discussions, conferences and scientific strategy meetings about player safety.

SEE ALSO: 27 movies you have to see this holiday season

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