Roger Goodell faced heated criticism Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee, with lawmakers, former players and even a former team executive accusing the league of neglect in its handling of active and retired players with brain injuries. The committee repeatedly challenged the commissioner, Roger Goodell, to defend the league?s policies and research. ?The N.F.L. sort of has this blanket denial or minimizing of the fact that there may be this link,? Representative Linda T. S?nchez, Democrat of California, said to Mr. Goodell during the daylong hearing. ?And it sort of reminds me of the tobacco companies pre-?90s when they kept saying, ?Oh, there?s no link between smoking and damage to your health.? ? When pressed, Mr. Goodell would not say whether he thought there was a link between football and cognitive decline among N.F.L. players. He did say, ?I can think of no issue to which I?ve devoted more time and attention than the health and well-being of our players, and particularly retired players.?