Should The Nfl Be Stricter Rules?

Many memories are made in football, but sadly some of the greatest players cannot recall them. The National Football League has been associated with concussions and brain traumas throughout the years, but lately it has been exposed by media and NFL veterans. The league recently “reached a $765 million preliminary settlement with thousands of former players who were suing the league over its treatment of concussions…” (Waldron). Many former players are experiencing the effects of taking hard hits over and over again; they were not properly treated, which makes the injury worse and long term. The concussion issue in the NFL is more prevalent today, because it affects not only the players, but the league as a whole.

Over the past several years, the NFL has faced numerous lawsuits involving former NFL players and their families ranging from negligence, fraud, and wrongful death conspiracy from related head traumas suffered while playing professional football. Several studies have shown that there are long-term and devastating effects on football players who consistently experience concussions during regular season play and practice. There is

A concussion is an injury suffered in the brain of an individual that can affect and alter a person’s ability to perform not only mentally, but physically as well. The New York Daily News reported on one of the finest cases of how serious the NFL is taking the issue on concussions, the current lawsuit that reached a “$765 million settlement reached between the two sides, 18,000 concussion suffer and the NFL” which states causes for important untold information the NFL refused to report to players about the prospective dangers concussions had for their long-term health, though this was later shot down by a federal judge claiming that it was insufficient sum. An NFL player may succumb from thousands of hits to the head playing football all

All throughout sports, the topic of concussions seems to become more prevalent everyday. For the past couple years, concussions have become the topic to talk about in the NFL. First to understand how prevalent a concussion is in the sports world, you need to know what it is. As stated on mayoclinic.org, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. Now you can imagine why this is such a problem. Which leaves us to wonder, are the protocols in the NFL working?

The NFL as you probably already know, stands for the National Football League. It is the elite league for the best players and best athletes in the world. These players are in tip top shape and are extremely strong. Now the big question is this. What is one of, if not the biggest problem in the NFL? Concussions. Nate Jackson, a former NFL player and writer says this, “Why is it that men who were the strongest and fittest people alive when they were young degenerate so quickly? That’s the million-dollar question.” With all of the protective equipment and top-of-the-line helmets, you would think that the players are safe from these types of injuries. But, there is a remaining problem of concussions that is still very

Concussions are a real problem, but what they cause with CTE is even more important. With the research being done by doctors is helping the NFL take steps to help lessen the amount of concussions that they have been having from year to year. The reason the NFL has had a drop-in concussion is because they have been making rules that players cannot hit the neck or head area so that nobody will launch their selves at someone else, which is helping but will not make the whole problem giving that the fact that CTE is going to be a problem because there is no way that concussions are the many reasons that people can get CTE. The reason why is because a player can hit their head against the ground and not get a concussion.

It is good to see the NFL take steps to better protect its players, but critics say it is long overdue. And while they are fair in that assessment, even they have to agree that the league’s stances on concussions and policies has significantly changed in the last decade.

On the other hand, they have instituted very many rules to prevent injuries. The NFL has started having programs for the teams where specific trainers come in to teach them the safety they should be providing their players. The NFL believes that if more of the coaches and players know about concussions, they will be more likely to go to the doctor out of fear that the injury could lead to more long term problems. The NFL feels this is important because between 1970-1980 the players did not know much about concussions. They most likely did not think concussions were common and some people probably did not even know they existed(NFL,1). Due to the lack of knowledge, players did not think it was a big deal to have a concussion. The

For many years, the NFL claimed to be working on ways to prevent concussions and other severe injuries; nevertheless, the numbers are continuously rising. Over the preseason and regular season, diagnosed concussions increased 15.6 percent from 2016 to 2017 (243 to 281) and 22.7 percent from 2013 to 2017 (229 to 281) (Maske). The NFL has previously taken measures to lower the numbers, 47 rule changes since 2002 to strengthen the league's medical protocols and protect players from concussions, but those measures were not enough. In 2010, the league expanded its rules to prevent "defenseless" players from taking hits above their shoulders in order to protect them from blows to the head. Also in 2010, the NFL made a rule declaring the ball dead

Since Seau’s death, concussion protocol has been raised hugely by the NFL. First and foremost, the NFL now has an “eye in the sky” for each NFL game that is played. A certified athletic trainer now watches every single play from a press box that’s just above field level. This allows players to have more reassured safety when taking big hits. If there is even a thought of something that these medical trainers’ thinks look serious, they radio in a signal to the medical staff on the field. This is especially helpful since medical staff on the field sometimes miss certain plays. If a player is pulled aside, the then do a six part concussion test to see if they player can remain in the game. This includes consciousness, unresponsiveness, confusion, amnesia, eye sight, and balance. In an article posted by NFL.com, they state the thoroughness of concussion protocol after the steps I listed above: “This sideline test includes the same tests performed as part of the pre-season baseline concussion assessment, as well as some additional questions. Like the preseason evaluation, the test measures, memory, concentration and balance, as well as measuring how quickly and thoroughly the player recalls words given to them at least five minutes earlier. As in the preseason examination, the team doctor asks players to name the month, date, day of week, year and time. The additional questions include specific sideline orientation questions that ask players to identify the venue, quarter of

Concussions and their side effects are traumatic to any player of the National Football League, not just at the time of the incident, but symptoms can last a lifetime and can in reality end a career. Results of these concussions not only affect themselves but the people around them including loved ones. “Since 2012 there have been 967 diagnosed concussions, and that includes preseason, regular-season practices plus games and postseason” (CNN 2014). Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), develops after multiple traumatic brain injuries and have led to former players and current to commit suicide. “Junior Seau, 43, a former linebacker shot himself in the chest, former Atlanta safety Ray Easterling, and former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson commits suicide by gunshot wound to the chest” (CNN 2014). Rather than shoot his head they shot themselves in the chest so that their brain can be used in Concussion and CTE research. Once a player gets a concussion, the likelihood of another increases, so and so forth. However, it is not just a running back or a nose tackle that can get this horrific injury, its anyone, it could be a kicker, a coach on the sideline; anyone that hits the ground too hard, or has head to head contact. Though the National Football League has become aware of this injury over the years and have implemented many protocols, that is not enough. This is a

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.

New evidence is now coming out showing that repeated brain trauma significant enough to cause concussions is causing long term effects that do not show up until later in life. This issue is knows as CTE or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. This new condition is not yet well understood but the researchers know that it is in part caused by repetitive brain trauma. CTE has many negative side effects and symptoms that many retired NFL athletes are now starting to show which include; executive dysfunction, memory impairment, depression, and suicidality, apathy, poor impulse control, and eventually dementia. Since this is a CTE is a new finding research and findings are slow to come because their is yet to be a clinical diagnosis, findings have only come from post-mortem research and the individual's mental and physical history before his or her death (Baugh & Stamm, 2012). “Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) has found neuropathologically confirmed CTE in football players with no history of diagnosed or reported concussions (but who played positions, such as lineman, with the greatest exposure to repetitive hits to the head). This is a good example as to why concussion recognition, treatment, and prevention is so important. CTE so far is only showing up in athletes who are retired and ages 40 and older. These are the athletes who competed before

Would you still be playing football if you knew 96 percent of former NFL players developed brain damage? Mike Webster, a former Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs lineman, died at the age of 50 from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This sport has been played for thousands of years, but now scientist are finding former players developing brain damage. Players and staff in the NFL should have more precautions to prevent concussions, given these precautions will save lives, keep them in the sport longer, and all around making the sport safer. Therefore, having these safety measure will prevent concussions.

This does not mean in the NFL you won’t get hit in the head. The percentage for concussions in the NFL have been on a uprise since 2014 with over 58% of players have gotten a concussion during the season of 2014. This is a big issue for the players in the NFL , but the real question is how is the NFL going to fix this growing problem so the players are