Head Injuries Will be the End of the NFL
Football at this point is no doubt one of the most, if not the most popular sport in America. The universities and organizations involved with football generate tons of money each season, and the star athletes of the NFL gain the attention of millions all over the world.
But sadly, many football players each season deal with injuries - whether they are minor or major. However, an unfortunate few get head injuries every year which cost them multiple weeks out for the season and even worse serious brain damage. Many long term football players have a risk at developing CTE(Chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a very dangerous disease that can be developed and kill people.
Football itself has come a long way since the nineteen hundreds, helmets were horrible and provided zero to no protection to the face. Tech company Vicis has developed a line of helmets that are said to deflect the impact of hits to the helmets outwards instead of inwards the traditional football helmet would have.
The NFL and NCAA have formed a rule to discourage the use of helmet to helmet hits as it is dangerous to players. The rule titled “targeting” is a very costly penalty that could cost a team fifteen yards and possible disqualification from the game. This rule still does not protect players from getting brain damage.
In the 2017-2018 season player Vontaze Burfict had a very dirty hit on former star receiver Antonio Brown, which later in the game caused rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster to retaliate and taunt him after hitting him on his blindside.
In the same season former champion Rob Gronkowski had a vicious hit on Tre’ Davious White after getting no call for a penalty. Gronkowski was later suspended for the hit, which nearly gave White a concussion.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, a star receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was also recently injured in a game versus the Cleveland Browns, after trying to catch a pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph that set him up to be hit by three defenders who were all coming from different angles. He was diagnosed with a concussion after he got off the field, and there is no estimate for his return.
All these examples are just small bits of adversity that players go through with playing the sport. People are slowly spreading information through podcasts and news articles stating the dangers of football, and parents are now preventing their children from participating in the sport to avoid getting seriously hurt. Vicis helmets might be the only thing that could save football from becoming very unpopular, the development of their helmets to keep players safe will bring hope for change in the sport.