The Effects Of Football On The Football

“This sport will never die, but it will never again be, as it was until recently, the subject of uncomplicated national enthusiasm.” This thesis statement introduces us to the basis of what this article sets out to convey. Football is a tradition that is loved by America, but previously lacked the issue of concern that it does now. The most concerning issue that the author is talking about is chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Caused by multiple head injuries, over a span of time, this disease results in atrophy of the brain, mood disorders, and dementia. The hidden damage caused by these injuries is taken into consideration when deciding to play football, however it is believed that this risk will deter players from joining in

Football is a physically demanding sport. Every time the ball is snapped, the players lunge into one another at high speeds, along with hard-hitting force, resulting in physical injury to the body and traumatic blows to the head. Players take full-on hits that jolt their bodies back and forth. With the impact of acceleration, deceleration, or collision, the brain is shaken violently causing it to rattle inside the skull. The repetitive hits to the head, that football players endure, bring about mental and cognitive problems, which eventually lead to traumatic brain injuries. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, known as CTE, is a progressive degenerative brain disease which has recently been found in deceased NFL athletes with a history of repetitive head trauma (SLI.com).

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy also known as C.T.E is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with repetitive brain trauma (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017). The Editorial Board wrote the article “The Scars From ‘Bell Ringing” Football Tackles,” publish July 29, 2017 in the New York Times, the Board argues that C.T.E is linked to football with the research help of Dr. Ann McKee. The Board uses pathos and logos effectively but when it comes to ethos, they do not build up their credibility.

Concussions in sports have become a very popular issue in the past century. Athletes are becoming bigger, faster, stronger, and more aggressive. With this, though, comes more injuries as a whole and injuries that are more dangerous as well. Parents, coaches, fans, and athletes have become more aware of how dangerous concussions can be and what effect they can have on an individual throughout the rest of their life. Many advancements and changes have been made in an attempt to keep athletes and players safer and more protected. Some individuals believe parents, coaches, and trainers are becoming overly protective and are ruining the entertainment of the game and the competitiveness of the players. Any sort of traumatic brain injury can have many effects on the individual; there are short-term, medium-term, and long-term consequences of concussions that can continue affecting the individual for fourteen years after he or she has suffered the head injury. Although many advancements have been made and preventing concussions has become a priority in the ‘sports-world,’ authority figures and athletes still ignore the symptoms of concussions to allow the athlete to continue to participate. However, in order to continue the entertainment that sporting events bring fans and the enjoyment that they bring to the participants, more precautions should be made to keep the players on the field and in good health.

In America, the sports industry is one of the largest and most powerful country; whether the sport is football, baseball, basketball, or any of the other sports the country has. Recently reports and documented cases have risen involving some of these sports’ greatest athletes, as well as current players, dealing with concussions (Famous sports concussions, 2012). Numerous athletes, some of them being the sport’s highest profile players, were found to have several mental illnesses and diseases, that have been attributed to head injuries sustained while they were playing their sports. The biggest and most predominant of these injuries is concussions. They can cause not only immediate issues, but also a lifetime of health problems (Smith, 2009). Sports related concussions lead to brain deterioration, which leads to long lasting effects throughout life.

The National Football League (NFL) generates billions of dollars a year and it produces the most watched events on television. However, recent research has showed that the game of football might be too dangerous for someone to consider it to be a full-time job, and the players have taken notice. A recent trend has started consisting of players retiring well-before the “prime” of their careers, and this is due to the physical damage that isn’t always so clear to the eye. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disease, has reared its ugly head in the brains of former NFL players. This disease is caused by repetitive collisions to the head and concussions, something that occurs with football players at an extremely

These risks in sports were understood to be dangerous, and science has evolved to make sports safer. So much has changed and been updated in concussion protocol in American sports within the last few years, giving credence to the group that believes that the status quo is adequate in addressing concerns for CTE among sports. The National Football League, NFL, believes that they have been earnestly seeking answers as far back as the 1990’s when they launched a committee on “mild traumatic brain injury” after “two star offensive players retired before the age of 30 due to concussion concerns” (Lartey). Their conclusion then was that concussions were a minor concern. Since then, as new research has brought new revelations of CTE and former players, the NFL has acknowledged this and has taken steps “to warn players about the potential connection between concussions and long-term brain injury” (Florio).

Football is America’s past and present-time, however, due to the findings of new research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the NFL must find ways to increase player safety. C.T.E. is a brain disorder caused by long-term, repetitive head trauma that is “now associated with such things as dementia, depression, memory loss, and lack of impulse control.” For decades the long-term affects of contact sports remained unknown and not until retired players began to express the problem has awareness for the issue increased. The NFL has made dramatic changes to the requirements for equipment — such as helmets — and to their rules to increase safety, however, are these changes decreasing the sport’s hidden affects on players mental health? Countless studies have been conducted over this issue and the affects of sub-concussive contact are illustrated in several of these research studies. Although the NFL changes rules and equipment requirements in an attempt to increase the safety of their players, it remains difficult to determine whether these changes will decrease the long-term affects of football as they appear in retired players and research on sub-concussive contact.

In a study of 92 former NFL players, it was found that a total of 88 (96%) of them were afflicted with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE (Tyler). With such a high percentage of former NFL players suffering from this disease, one would think solid efforts would be being put forward towards a cure, or that a cure may even have already been found. But this is not the case. Very little is known about this disease, and there is no known cure for it yet. As the leading influence in the game of football, the NFL has the moral responsibility to fund research and put forth an effort towards reducing the risk of and eventually eliminating head trauma in the game of football.

After many studies, researchers have found that a tremendous amount of football players will develop a brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This disease is found mostly in athletes who have encountered direct contact to the head. Most of the time, football players will be afflicted with CTE after receiving multiple hits on or near the helmet. Over time, these hits start to affect players in a negative way causing brain trauma, later resulting in CTE. Consequently, CTE has symptoms that are not pleasant and could change players and their families lives forever; some of the symptoms include mood swings and memory loss. CTE also leads to other health afflictions; from the article, Anne McDonnell states, “Brain injuries

A study was conducted to show a link between football and brain damage and to show the dangerous effects that football has on the brain. 111 NFL players but one had a brain disease referred to as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. Further investigations have shown that American NFL players have a higher chance of developing neurological conditions such as CTE. CTE is a neurological disease that occurs when someone has had repeated brain trauma. Symptoms of CTE can effect one's behavior, memory, mood, and can cause dementia. 87 percent of NFL players had CTE, but the rate was 99 percent higher. Players with a mild case of CTE had played for 13 years, while others with a severe case of CTE had a career lasting 15 years. These brain injuries

In the NFL major brain injuries are unavoidable due to the violent nature of football. The continual traumas can cause extensive brain damage that leads to horrific problems in later life. The residual effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy

The main event in this article is Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a disease that occurs in people who have endured repeated brain trauma. The causes of this event are football players being injured during football games repeatedly. Results from the studies of cadaver bodies point to American football players to have a higher chance of of developing long-term neurological condition, such as CTE. The Journal of American Medical Association believe many of these injuries may have started early in the players' careers. Many football players suffer from a concussion during a football game. In the article, Amber Partida explains that three out of 14 high school players had mild CTE pathology, whereas severe CTE was found in majority

Thesis Statement: Recent scientific research has exposed a direct connection between repeated head trauma and the game of football leading to the diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Subsequently, I predict the competitiveness of the National Football League (NFL) will decrease as a result of parents transitioning youth football players to other less physical sports.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, commonly referred to as CTE, is a degenerative brain disease that can cause depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s in those who have suffered repeated instances of head trauma. The aforementioned disease came to light after researchers examined the brains of several high-profile athletes who died due to the previously mentioned symptoms. Moreover, according to current knowledge, contact sport athletes, such as boxers or football players, are at the highest risk of developing CTE. This means that said disease plagues athletes who help generate millions for charity, drive local economies, and inspire our youth. This essay will explore changing these games to protect athletes, banning the high-risk games, and informing athletes and consumers as potential solutions to this issue.