In the context of Sherman’s comments, they sure did. They certainly pretended they gave a sh!t about the players, when they really didn’t. That was Sherman’s point.
To hell with Sherman.
Of course they did. The same way a rancher cares about whether his herd catches hoof and mouth disease. Injured players can't play at the level you've invested for them to play at. Athletes and Owners have known for 100 years as to the physical consequences of repeated blows to the head. The studies were done on boxers long ago. In the popular lingo it was called being "punchy" or "punch drunk". In medical terminology it was labeled pugilista dementia. It's nothing new. And virtually every ex NFL player who has suffered from this post playing career when asked whether they would do the same thing knowing then what they know now say YES. They know the risks and know the big benefits and they willfully assume that risk.