Brain Damage In Football

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Football is one of the most popular sports around the world. From young boys to grown men, they all love the sport. Growing up, most boys wish to play football, but many do not consider the risks that come along with playing. As one gets older, the sport becomes more challenging, increasing the chances of injuries. At the peak of this sport is the National Football League, when professional football becomes the career of many talented players. The risk of injury associated with American football is significant, with reports indicating that football has one of the highest rates of all injuries, including concussions. Although being in the National Football League is a very well-paying career, is it worth the risk of having brain damage? …show more content…

In 2012 Junior Seau, former linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, committed suicide. Following the tragic accident, his autopsy revealed signs of chronic damage in his brain. That same kind of damage has been discovered in many other former NFL players. Studies have shown that repeated hits is what causes the brain damage in these players, and it is linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is a type of brain disease. CTE is associated with memory loss, depression, impulse control problems, and even dementia; which could have been what influenced Seau to end his own life. A similar incident occurs in 2011 when Dave Duerson also committed suicide. Most of Duerson’s NFL career was with the Chicago Bears, he was a part of the amazing ’85 team that won the Super Bowl. He retired from the NFL in 1993 and started working in …show more content…

The NFL’s senior vice president of health and safety policy was a part of a discussion with the U.S. House Committee where he was asked if he believed there is a link between football and brain diseases like CTE, and he answered, “The answer to that question is certainly yes,”. However, for years the NFL avoided the topic of football being related to CTE, so the question is: what made them change their minds? The NFL stated there was simply not enough proof for there to be a direct connection between football and

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