Concussions In Sports Essay

Even though some people believe that the NFL does not need stricter rules to help prevent concussions, stricter rules are definitely needed. According to Casebook in Is Football Too Dangerous, Several NFL players have committed suicide over the last few years, and medical evidence suggests that brain damage-the consequence of years of violent on-field collisions and concussions. This evidence shows that multiple blows to the head have caused CTE in former NFL players that have played a role in their deaths. CTE is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma (“What is CTE?”). How many more deaths are going to happen to former players before the NFL make the current rules stricter? The NFL can make the current players safer for their futures outside of football. The evidence is there to show why the NFL needs to make stricter rules.

Concussions in the NFL have been a big topic over the years and will continue to plague the League and the Players. In fact in 2015 alone 271 players suffered a concussion over the whole season (CNN). However People don’t realize what happens to the player after they get a concussion in the NFL. Concussions change players lives after playing the NFL. As a result of concussion sustained in the NFL, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and dementia occur.

Here is why. In 2015, the NFL diagnosed 271 players that had concussions. There has continued to be an increase in the number of concussed players over the past several years. With the continual increase in concussions over the years,it is a reasonable question to ask whether the NFL is doing enough to protect their players or not. I am going to start this issue by discussing a movie I am sure you have heard of. Concussion. A Forensic pathologist named Dr. Bennet Omalu was the first doctor to discover chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brain of former Pittsburgh Steelers' center Mike Webster, who was 50, when he committed suicide. Dr. Omalu made the bold statement that football is the reason that Webster had mental issues, and ultimately the reason for his death. There continued to be a trend of NFL players passing at a young age due to mental health issues, and Omalu was certain that all of it was because of football. He examined the brains of these players and found correlations in their brains that suggests that the repeated blows to the head they received during their career caused severe damage. As you can imagine this discovery was a huge threat to the NFL as people and players saw this evidence and couldn't help but be scared about the outcome football has on an individual. The NFL basically just tried to cover up clear facts stated by Omalu, but eventually it became to evident to ignore. This movie made a large issue in the NFL apparent to many people and creating a film to do so was a very effective platform for displaying it. To make a long story short, since this discovery in 2002, there has been a drastic change in player safety rules, concussion protocol and guidelines, and strictness of teams to follow such protocol and guidelines. In

It is to me understanding that each and every NFL football player is taught everyday to play hard and hit hard. NFL players know that they are taking a massive risk of getting injured every time they step a foot on a football field, whether it be for a game or just practice. If you have the football in your possession, you should be able to take a hit anywhere on your body, even if it is on your helmet. There is no point in time where a line should be drawn. If a player makes helmet-to-helmet contact unintentionally, he should not be fined as much as if it were intentional.

One hard hit to a NFL player’s head can destroy their life. Concussions are a major problem that the NFL has been dealing with for a very long time. As a huge football fan, I have a special interest with this issue. When concussions were first identified as a problem, they were extremely down played. People thought that injuries to knees and backs were much worse than a concussion. What they did not know was that a concussion is lethal and can cause serious consequences. After this was discovered, the NFL started to take steps to improve the safety of players, but for some, it was far too late. Concussions that NFL players receive are negatively impacting their lives after their career, due to Chronic

Most players have learned to inflict pain to the other person they are tackling or trying to get the ball. NFL have made new rule changes because of players leading with the head and also trying to hit the players head. When a player is targeted it means that a player aimed at an opponent for purposes of attacking with an apparent intent that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball (Redding). The player who made the tackle will be ejected from the game. These types of hits are causing the concussions and also not knowing how to properly

Concussions are becoming more and more common in professional athletes. Concussions can weaken a team, take athletes out of games, and even end athletic careers. They can also cause permanent disabilities and disease that cannot be cured. Professional sports leagues/organizations are receiving lawsuits and complaints about the growing amount of head injuries. Many athletes and fans want organizations such as the NFL or NHL to make rule changes to prevent concussions. Football being one of the leading causes of concussions, along with women 's soccer and men 's hockey, the NFL is often the target of complaints and lawsuits

In recent years, there has been a backlash from all kinds of doctors throughout the world that believe the National Football League or NFL needs to make adjustments to the way they treat head injuries, specifically concussions. A concussion is a brain injury characterized by an onset of impairment of cognitive and/or physically functioning and is caused by hits around the head and neck area. This NFL is under destress because of numerous studies that show concussions can lead to a large amount brain injuries way after the player has played his last game. However, this isn't just a problem the NFL is facing, the real problem is our youth contact sports and head-related injuries. High school athletes are extremely more exposed to concussions than

The NFL has put in new rules in place that keep the ball handler safe from hits to the head. The NFL has put a new rule in that if you hit a player in the crown of the head you will be penalized 15 yards. This rule is supposed to decrease the amount of hits to head players receive. Another rule put in is you can not hit a defenseless player because they have no idea they are about to receive a big hit. Even with these new rules concussion rates are still going up. In 2009 the NFL put in a new rule that would have players checked on the sidelines to tell whether they could go back

People are beginning to blame the NFL and football leagues for their concussion. The NFL has been set afire over the past few years. Former players are beginning to sue the league because of concussions they have received throughout the years for playing. There are 4,500 ailing retirees who, in 2011, sued the NFL over a perceived negligence to warn them of the sports risks. In return that cost the National football league $765 million dollars. So, over the next 65 years, all retired NFL players can receive baseline medical exams, educational services and a payout formula based on illness and age. This lead a spark to college football players who in return have filed lawsuits against the NCAA (National College Athletic Association) for concussions they allegedly sustained as student players.

Concussions in football have always been a problem. Recently the NFL is doing more to protect players from this serious head injury. a couple of moves made by the NFL to prevent concussions is that they moved the kickoff line up 5 yards resulting in a higher chance of a touchback. Another move to prevent concussions is that players are getting fined for illegal tackles that occur. The NFL is doing more to protect players because they realize concussions can have serious effects later in life like losing the ability to remember things. According to Nadia Kounang “NFL football players are 3 times more likely to have a neurodegenerative disease compared to the average population”. Examples of these diseases are Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The target population is football players who have received concussions in their playing days. Many of these head injuries were caused by players who wanted to excite the crowd with a big hit knowing a lot of the fans were just there to see violence and that the player would become more popular to those

Concussions are the most frequent injury in all sports, according to Edmond Journal 1 in 5 high schoolers will get a concussion in a year. Studies have shown that NFL Players that have had more than 3 concussions that there are more likely to have Depression, Mental Impairment, and/or Alzheimer's. According to THE RECORD, the rate of concussions are going down and 80-90% of all concussions are resolved within 7-10 days. If the brain gets good rest and is healthy and with protocols are followed then they likeness of a concussion is reduced. When someone receives a concussion not only in sports but are four times more likely to get another concussion than the original odds, But According to San Jose News a concussion can lead to serious brain damage for example from 1989-2009 16

The NFL has not only dramatically changed since the days of leather helmets and no padding, but has also changed in the past ten years. The NFL has developed new technologies for player safety regarding head injuries, but is it enough? Is the NFL responsible for concussions sustained by its players? The NFL is not responsible for head injuries sustained by its players, for they care about their players. The players know the risks of the sport and the NFL is willing to change to protect them.

Science says concussions are inevitable; 96 percent of all NFL players and 79 percent of all football players test positive for brain disease (Source: Frontline League of Denial 9/18/15 Concussion Watch Article). Prior to 2002, the NFL’s approach to preventing, treating, and managing concussions and CTE was very different than it is today. My essay will explore what some of those differences were and whether or not changes in the NFL are improving the outcomes and quality of life for current and former NFL players.

Admittedly, there are other views about concussions in football. One argument is that players sign up to play football so why are they and the fans complaining. It is a good point, players do indeed play the sport they love, but those same players were promised better safety measures to keep them out of harm's way. It is easy to blame the players for choosing such a brutal sport, but the NFL in years past has made promises to make the game of football safer for all those who play. The NFL has come up with the program of Heads Up Football, which teaches kids proper tackling technique to make them avoid from heading head first into hits.