The Football Head Injury Controversy is having a Major Impact on the Future of the Sport in America

The National Football League is in deep water because of increased criticism from the public about the lack of head injury awareness. The frequency of injuries have not increased, but acknowledgment of injuries occurring has heavily increased over the last few years. The NFL has improved safety procedures by changing rules and keeping injured players off the field. However, these positive steps have also brought environmental changes in the league and throughout the American culture. The NFL has taken a conservative approach in the media towards speaking out about the dangers of their sport. Past players are filing class-action lawsuits, many towns and schools are banning the sport and the positive image of the league deteriorating. For many years, the NFL’s medial staff denied the long-term repercussions of head injuries and are now paying the price financially, paying millions in disability benefits and lawsuit payments to thousands of players. The league has built its image around a “Warrior” mentality in which injuring another player was deemed to be a success. This mentality has caused a ripple effect which has spread through the college, high school and youth football ranks.


Changing the NFL’s “Warrior” culture is key in improving player safety and the league’s image.

 In an article about the NFL concussion problem, Sharon Chirban, a sports psychologist at Children's Hospital in Boston, says “the culture of football rewards acts of toughness and bravery over a player's health.” The foundations of the NFL “Warrior” culture ideal is that a player must sacrifice his body in order to be successful. If injuring another or themselves is an outcome then so be it. This ideal is rooted in the league’s history and has resulted in hundreds of athletes being crippled with various brain injuries. The NFL has implemented policies for combating this issue. Various rules have been changed, kickoffs start further up the field to prevent players vicious hits at high speeds, a situation which has historically caused many injuries. Players now have to be evaluated by team officials when noticing any “concussion-like” symptoms and keep them off the field longer. Also, new technologies have been developed, such as new helmets, which help reduce the blow of a defender.

However, University of South Carolina trainer Rod Walters has a different view on the actual benefits of the new technologies. "Football helmets prevent cranial fractures -- not concussions. That is not the purpose of helmets. I cringe when I see someone say they are wearing a 'concussion-proof' helmet. There is no such animal." Rather than developing solutions behind the scenes, the NFL could be taking a direct approach in speaking to the public about the dangers of its sport and strategies to promote safety, which could in-tern help lessen their “Warrior” culture. In an interview with Stephen R. McDaniel, Associate Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland, he says the NFL does have a direct obligation to directly inform youth football players about the dangers of the sport. Policy and rule changes have created an opposite ripple effect as stated before, which will lead to a better culture of safety through various levels of football. However, McDaniel says due to the dangerous nature of the sport, there is not a way to completely avoid many of these injuries.

 

The NFL is now being forced to change because of class-action lawsuits.

The NFL is now paying the price from their silence and falsified research on head injuries. NFL’s top medial experts denied any link between play on the field and long-term brain injury including cognitive decline. An article by Joseph M. Hanna, partner at Goldberg Segalla LLP, where he leads the firm’s Sports and Entertainment Practice Group, details the science behind clinical evidence of NFL’s failure to acknowledge fault.  The article also details various legal actions taken by former players. Since 2005, over 2,400 alumni took legal action against the league. New plaintiffs continue to file lawsuits which have cost the league millions of dollars and have dampened the image of the NFL who has tried to improve its image. But, nothing can lessen the damage done to the players who now live with serious brain diseases and some which have lead to deaths. Here is a video by ESPN Outside the Lines expanding on the NFL’s mixed messages and its future impact.

The public is making their voice heard about the controversial issue

South Park's "Sarcastaball"

The public is divided on the issue of concussions. One side favors the tough nature of the NFL and thinks the sport is inherently dangerous. Players are paid millions of dollars in the risk of being injured. Their stance in simple terms is, “If you don’t want to be injured then don’t play”.This opinion is represented in a South Park episode called “Sarcastaball”. In the episode, the NFL changes safety procedures so drastically that it totally changes the face of the league where game is not noticeable. It is a dramatic example of what people feel is happening to the league. The other side is against the dangerous football culture and wants change. Because of the immense risk towards youths, many leagues in the junior ranks are considering ending tackle football. Dr. Robert Cantu, a researcher at Boston University, says in a Tampa news article ,“because kids' brains aren't fully coated with myelin, an insulation that protects neurons, their brains are particularly susceptible to any kind of hit to the head. Repetitive hits, such as heading the ball in soccer or banging helmets on the football field, can add up to real damage.” There are also discussions about ending High School football in some areas of the country.

No matter which side is taken, it is important that progress is made to improve player safety in this dangerous sport. NFL’s tough nature is rooted in its history, but larger voices needs to step-up awareness about the dangers to protect its future and the safety of football players across the country.

Here is a non-experts view on what the NFL could do to increase head injury awareness in the media:

listen to ‘Sunhwa Interview 2: What Could The NFL Do to Increase Head Injury Awareness?’ on Audioboo