Storyline: I think there will be a breaking point soon: football will either change (so drastically, perhaps, that you won’t recognize the sport) or it will go extinct. Written by Chris Contino, New Jersey
The conversation of injury and concussion protocol in football has become a hot topic over the past few years, even more so in 2015. If you’ve been a fan of professional football, then I’m sure you’ve seen how the sport has changed … and is continuing to change. Rule changes have been implemented to protect defenseless players from being hit in the head area.
Courtesy: traumaticbraininjury.net
If you’re like me, that drives you nuts! At least 15 times every Sunday I catch myself yelling. “Why don’t they just play 2-hand touch!” I don’t like what’s happening, especially when it comes to the quarterback, the most protected position in sports. It almost seems like a caste system where the QBs are Kings of the Battlefield and other players are mere foot soldiers.
So, okay, we all know that the sport is changing and technologies have been advanced to ensure player safety, but there have been more injuries this year than ever before. The issue, in my opinion, is that players today are bigger, faster, and stronger. The game moves quickly, so much so, that it has an impact on the referees. They often make awful calls and, then, have to go watch replays. They’re having trouble keeping up with the pace of play.
As we sit on our couches and watch the NFL on Sundays, it’s easy to notice that defensive players aren’t quite sure how or where to hit offensive players. They aren’t allowed to hit high, so they’re hitting lower and we’re seeing more ACL and MCL injuries as a result.
High school player, Damon Janes, died from injuries suffered on the field (from twitter.com)
So, is there a war on football? My take is that I believe professional football is in serious danger (at some point) of going extinct. That may sound absurd, but with more and more parents not allowing their kids to play, it’s a distinct possibility. There were 11 deaths in high school football this year directly caused by injuries on field. We have college coaches making a lot of money. College players? By the time they get to the NFL they’re so beat up (especially at RB) that they end up having careers cut short and losing out on lots of money.
The crazy thing is that I love watching football. It’s a big part of my life. And I would hate to see the sport go away. But it’s hard watching these guys, week after week, killing their bodies for our entertainment. There have been 108 concussions so far this season–and there are still four games left in the regular season. We’re sure to pass the 123 concussions recorded in 2014.
Even with all the information and technologies available, concussions are happening more frequently. I question the integrity of the sport and believe the league isn’t addressing the problem satisfactorily. It’s disconcerting when players die playing the game, especially when they’re kids. And some NFL players are committing suicide after their playing days. There are mental health issues, too. Junior Seau, a Hall of Fame NFL player, committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest. In his suicide note he asked his family to have his brain studied. Seau knew something was wrong.
Courtesy: popwarner.com
The fact of the matter is that players are dying and are experiencing poor quality of life after football. Children are dying. Fewer kids are choosing to play football. With the combination of issues surrounding football, I think there will be a breaking point soon: football will either change (so drastically, perhaps, that you won’t recognize the sport) or it will go extinct.
Hopefully, neither will happen. With amount of information available and scientists studying the problem my hope is that solutions will emerge to make football players stay safer–physically and mentally.
My hope? We’ll watch football on Sundays knowing that it’s fun, entertaining, and safe.
