Concussions In The NFL

Every person in the world loves football! Football has the highest rates of catastrophic head injuries (16).The long term health effects of high impact sport injures can be super dangerous.

Former NFL superstar tight end Aaron Hernandez was convicted of executing a man. He killed him with six bullets inside an industrial park, he and was sentenced to life in prison (“Aaron Hernandez’s”).

Imagine being the MVP of an all star sports team, then suffering a concussion from a very competitive game or tournament. No matter what sport an athlete plays or how skilled they are at it, there is always going to be a possibility of injury. Concussions are an injury with serious side effects and can permanently end any star's career. Today, many young athletes suffer from sport related concussions. An estimated 3.8 million recreational and athletic concussions occur annually in the United States, according to statistics in 2012 (Concussion and Sports). Concussions are high on the rise and make athletes very vulnerable and prone to them. Among male athletes, sports resulting in the most concussions include football, ice hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, and soccer. For female athletes, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball were recorded for the sports that resulted in the most concussions. Youth athletes who have suffered one concussion, onset greater chances of experiencing more.

Concussions have been a serious problem for athletes in the past and continue to be a problem today. From pee-wee football to the professional league, head injuries are the number one safety concern. Years after the injuries, a lot of players develop signs of a brain disease called CTE. This disease has shown up in over 75 deceased NFL players. Some companies have been taking steps towards a brighter future for the game of football, such as creating a safer helmet with updated technology to lessen the overall impact of a hit.

It’s rare to see the NFL under fire, but when it come to concussions, that’s a different story. The NFL claims progress is being made. On the first day of the start of the NFL season, linebacker Stewart Bradley of the Philadelphia Eagles tackled a player head first; his legs began to buckle and he collapsed. Minutes later, he was subbed back into the game. The NFL calls that progress? Concussions are a serious problem in football, for future athletes, and we need to solve it now.

Sports fans still believes that NFL is still hiding many facts about concussion amongst players. With fans’ urges to find the truth, many media sources interview ex-football players, doctors, and concussion victims to spread the truth about the NFL and actual effects. With testimonies from the concussion victims, awareness of concussion through the media helps facilitate the change in the NFL with regards to concussion protocols. According to John Shockey from DePaul University, he writes, “The increase in media framing of the NFL concussion crisis has made the issue important to the public and made them sympathize with the athletes and their families” (“Media Framing of the NFL Concussion Crisis Is Changing the Culture of the NFL”). Shockey

As concussions occur more and more in the NFL and among teens, more research has been conducted. There has been research on teens that concussions had occurred in teen’s brains, to find out what type of hit teens gotten by football may of suffer from it. There are many concussions in the NFL and especially teens who play football that have suffered death and never to play the sport they love. Teens and athletes who love the sport football, have been suffered by concussions that had ruin their playing for the most of this moments but research has been conducted of ways to help out teens and NFL.

Many have heard about concussions especially in the NFL. As of today, the NFL, a professional football league, has become the number one spectator sport in the United States. Despite its popularity, one out of the biggest problems occur to players are concussions. A concussion is a brain injury involving a head-on Collision. The brain inside the head literally bounces back and forth when a head on collision occurs. Another way concussions occur is through the shaking of the head and body. The effects of a concussion are headaches, problems with concentration, memory, balance and coordination, all leaving the brain vulnerable. Athletes when concussed are told not to practice or play in games, and are supposed to stay home and rest. As people who are concussed

Professional football presents dangers of concussions, needs to convey awareness regarding these dangers, and to bring the long term effects to light.

Deep bruises, sprained and broken bones, torn muscles, and strained tendons are some of the injuries that Brett Favre, one of the most famous and successful football quarterbacks of all time, has endured throughout his career. But the most dangerous and life-impacting injuries he has had were concussions. Because of this, Favre is now a leader for safer play and new technology for football and other sports leagues. The NFL and other leagues have made some changes to try to diagnose concussions but not really to prevent them. Professional and college sports leagues must do more to prevent concussions because new research shows there are long-term complications from having multiple concussions, players

Extreme. Exciting. Dangerous. As seen in the article “Hard Knocks” by Gabriel Charles Tyler and in the video “Concussion Hazards in Youth Football”, football along with other physical contact programs are causing concussions. These concussions lead to long lasting negative effects such as thinking and memory problems. Although some may argue that these programs have many positive effects such as instilling confidence and pride in young adults, these sources all address the common issue of concussions and permanent youth brain damage.

Not until recently has the National Football League really started cracking down on how players and teams should deal with players who are assumed to have suffered a concussion. The implications of concussions

Traumatic brain injuries sustained in the National Football League has risen steadily since the first game was played. The public, as well as players, have been inadequately informed of the severity of concussions resulting from severe head trauma. Players have been sent back into play with life threatening injuries that may be invisible immediately but detrimental when observed long term. The National Football League has covered the concussion issue due to the lack of publicly the sport receives when role players are out with a concussion or another injury. Concussions and traumatic brain related injuries have become a costly problem in the National Football League (NFL), and most instances are mistreated and covered up.

April 22nd, 1990, a middle linebacker from the University of Southern California by the name of Junior Seau was drafted 5th overall by the San Diego Chargers. During his nineteen years in the NFL, he was a ten-time all pro, twelve-time pro bowl selection, 1990’s all decade team, and was introduced into the hall of fame in 2015. Junior Seau had an extensive and severe history of head traumas and decided to retire with the New England Patriots in 2009. On May 2nd, 2012 the San Diego Police department received a call from his girlfriend who had found him laying on the ground at his house in Oceanside, California. Junior Seau was pronounced dead that day after he committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. None of his family or close friends knew why he did this. He had never shown any signs of depression or suicidal tendencies. His family donated his brain to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). They then found out he had Chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

The National Football League was born in 1920. It is owned by commissioner Roger Goodell. There are 32 national football teams in the NFL. This non-profit organization is worth billions and has sprouted into one of the most watched sports ever. People tune in to watch brave men put their bodies on the line each game. However, could withstanding cruel punishment be the reason for dementia? Many Americans love football, but do they realize how retired players are loosing their marbles. Men who are in their 40's and 50's are diagnosed with dementia at a young age. They are diagnosed with dementia because of the repeated concussions throughout their career. This is a significant issue that is constantly being over looked. Football fans don’t want to loose their precious sport, but men are dying under age because of the long term brain injuries suffered because of the malicious sport. Its imperative that people realize how they are affected physically, mentally, and emotionally after their football career is over.