The NFL continues to come under fire for its approach to the concussion crisis as the league gears up for the start of the season.
The debate over the safety of football remains front and center, with the US’ most popular sport under assault from former players, neurologists and an upcoming Hollywood movie that accuses the league of ignoring the link between concussions and head injuries.
Critics say rule changes designed to reduce the number of brain injuries are too little too late, charging that the multibillion dollar entertainment behemoth puts its business model before health concerns.
Thousands of ex-NFL players have joined a series of lawsuits, including players like Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jim McMahon, hall of famer Tony Dorsett and the family of the late Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau, alleging information about potential brain damage from hits was hidden from the players.
Some are not waiting to see what happens after years of punishment on the field. Several players recently decided to retire early to avoid the effects of a brain injury, which can include depression, amnesia, nausea, headaches and dementia.
Concussions have become a major problem for the NFL, which in April agreed to settle a lawsuit and pay US$765 million to about 5,000 former players over health claims.
Current star Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints said he would hesitate to let his son play the sport because of the risk of concussions.
Critics say a win-at-all-costs culture encourages excessive violence.
The New Orleans Saints were embroiled in scandal amid claims they operated a bounty system for two years where players were paid up to US$1,500 to deliberately injure opponents. The Saints won the Super Bowl during the period the bounties were paid between 2009 and 2011.
The New York Times last week reported that Sony Pictures Entertainment executives altered the script of an upcoming Hollywood movie about football brain injuries to avoid upsetting the NFL.
The movie, Concussion starring US actor Will Smith, is about a forensic pathologist, Bennet Omalu, who diagnosed a degenerative brain disease in former NFL players.
Sony has denied softening the film to appease the league.
The movie follows the 2013 release of League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis a book and documentary that highlighted the case of former Pittsburgh Steeler center Mike Webster that revealed violent collisions can lead to neurological disease, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.
Chris Borland did not want to wait and to see what would happen. Borland was willing to give up millions of dollars and retire before the age of 30 because of concussion fears.
The 24-year-old former San Francisco 49er joins Patrick Willis, Jake Locker and Jason Worilds as players who recently walked away from the NFL before the age of 30.
Concussions are also a huge concern in youth football in the US, where more than 250,000 boys and girls taking are part in junior leagues.
Parent Kevin Dorsey has two boys, aged nine and 11, playing the sport in California, but says he worries about them getting hurt.
“If I had my druthers, I would love my boys to play football, basketball and baseball, but I don’t know if football would be my first choice for them,” said Dorsey, who coaches 11 and 12 year olds in the Glendale Football All American Association in suburban Los Angeles.
Dorsey said the rate of concussions in youth football has been reduced, thanks in part to better training, like teaching the players to hit with their shoulders and instead of their helmets.
Dorsey, who played semi-pro football, said that in his playing days, concussions were often ignored.
“Oh my God, it is night and day. Back then, it was just football. If you got popped and somebody got a little headache or cross eyed, it was see if you can shake it off, and if not, you sit down,” Dorsey said.
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