NFL commissioner Roger Goodell continues his express his strong desire to turn football into a safer sport.

Speaking Wednesday at the University of North Carolina, Goodell said the game's overall health and survival depends upon adapting to rules and equipment that reduce injuries.

"There is a national conversation taking place about football," Goodell said, according to ProFootballTalk.com. "We welcome it ... looking at changes to the game not as something to be feared but as something we need to do as if the future of the game relies on it. Because it does. The risk of injury in football is well known, but throughout history, football has evolved and become safer and better."

The most talked-about injuries are those to the brain, particularly concussions in the NFL, and the long-term effects on players.

"In recent years, there has become a sharper focus on concussions in football and other sports. Let me make an important point here: Concussions are a global issue. Not just a football issue," Goodell said.