Kaleb wonders to what degree we, as Americans, are willing to sacrifice our young men’s lives for the National Football League.
I heard the news of another former NFLer, Junior Seau, dying of what is presumed to be self-inflected gunshot wound yesterday. Immediately my heart sank, because I knew it probably wasn’t an accident. In the past year alone, 3 NFL players with severe brain trauma have shot themselves. Last year, the NYTimes did a Pulitzer-worthy three part series, A Boy Learns To Brawl, on the life of Derek Boogaard, an NHL enforcer for the Rangers, who tragically took his own life at the age of 28 with a combination of painkillers and alcohol. He too, was posthumously diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative disease caused by repeated blows to the head. Although the NFL has a larger CTE problem, because it appears the only hockey players who suffer CPE are enforcers, whose main job is to fight, that article fundamentally changed my view on CPE.
Something’s gotta give. It’s that simple. Young men are dying in droves, and regardless of how much they are paid, it is not right. We are very literally watching slow gladiatorial matches unfold before our very eyes, and we as the fans, must start paying attention. It’s time to push the NFL to start using some of its huge revenues for research on how to change the game. I don’t mean casual rule amendments; I mean real, empirical studies on what can be done to prevent repeated brain trauma. I for one think that discarding hard shell helmets is a place to start. They offer little protection to the wearer and encourage helmet to helmet hits. Giving players thick foam helmets will discourage players from leading with their heads. And if it becomes obvious that football as a sport is inexorably linked to CPE, its time to think about disbandment of the NFL.
AP photo/Sandy Huffaker
Being a Pats fan, I was really saddened by Junior’s death. I do think things should change though. The NFL needs to take better care of the players. There needs to be more rules in place to help prevent these major brain injuries from turning into CTE. Not taking better care of the players is just inhumane.
IF an adult human being decides they want to risk their life for money then it’s their call, but that in no way excuses a system of indoctrination throughout their childhood which lead them to make this decision.
I understand that aerial moves in cheerleading has been banned in many states after some girls were left quatroplegic. Maybe we should consider the same for boys, so that when they become men they’re able to value their own health.
Well Pilgrim, I don’t know the definition of droves but I can think of about 10 dead right off the top of my head and there are plenty of nobody’s out there on the brink like my ex. It’s worse than you think. You might consider educating yourself a little more on the subject so as to be a little less polarizing yourself. When Jr.’s ex-wife (not girlfriend – you misquoted) mentioned it wasn’t ballet, SHE didn’t necessarily know the long term affects of brain trauma either. Others who didn’t know include the former NFL players are suing the league… Read more »
It’s a tragedy to be sure. And I don’t understand why we, as a culture, have such a blood lust. Anyone who tells you football isn’t really about hurting the other guy with as big a hit as possible is either blind or is being intentionally thick. Still, as Jr’s girlfriend said, “it’s not like it’s ballet. He knew what he was getting into.” And that goes along with what Jimmy says: “Isn’t this why they get paid millions?” They like the look of all that green but in the long run is it enough? That’s something to think about… Read more »
I don’t think that football is necessarily about hurting people, actually, and I doubt most people do. I used to play full contact football with some of my closest friends, and I never sought to harm them. Saying “they knew what they were getting into” is patently untrue. I’m sure most of these players did not know what CPE was, and if they did, they were mislead into believing that their helmets would protect them. The argument about money is also untrue for several reasons. The average NFL player plays 3 seasons and makes $700,000 a season. That’s less than… Read more »
Yea… isn’t this why they get paid millions?
Why a select few of them get paid millions.
As the ex wife of an ex NFL guy with CTE, I can tell you this situation is legit and needs to change now. I have had to wrestle guns away from my ex who wanted to kill himself in the same way – a shotgun to the chest. Everytime I read stories like this I get sick to my stomach and re-hash everything that happened to my family. It frustrates me that these huge corporations namely, the NHL and the NFL are so complacent in making changes and/or taking care of their casualties. Commissioner Bettman has even stated the… Read more »