Concussions In Sports Research Paper

The National Football League is considered one of the most lucrative sports corporations in the world, with millions of people devoting their Sundays to nonstop action and the intense drama that is the NFL. But, what we don’t see as passionate sports fans is the trauma that our favorite players have to go through each and every play of every game. We watch as a player lies on the ground, but what we don’t notice is the pain that they are going through at that moment. According to Spinal Surgeon Michael Glieber, “Concussions are the most common injury in all levels of football.” Concussions can change an individual’s life in the blink of an eye, it’s not something you can take for granted. That’s why today I am analyzing the different views

on this devastating hindrance. Those views include those who believe more rules should be made to prevent concussions, those who think players should fend for themselves when it comes to the game, and lastly those who are not sure where to stand on this issue.

Whatever the case, concussions are a big deal, they are a literal “unstoppable force” in the sports world.

A concussion is defined as an “injury to the brain or spinal cord due to jarring from a blow, fall, or the like.” (dictionary.reference.com) it’s hard to think about, but these are common place in our world today. There are various groups, including the NFL, who believe there should be a necessary change in the rules and guidelines with concussions such as the protection of the players, the proper medical support needed for those players, and the relief they get from the league. Since 2012, when they first started keeping concussion statistics, there have been “692 concussions in preseason and regular season games combined”,

according to Elise Michael in her novel, School of Hard Knocks—The Impact of the NFL Concussion Litigation. (Page 16) Plus, Fox Sports reports that “96 % of deceased NFL players tested positive for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)” (foxnews.com/sports), a degenerative disease that is said to be a result from multiple concussions and injuries to the head. Luckily, the NFL reported in its 2015 Health and Safety Report, concussions had dropped 35% in a three year span. However, according to Frontline, who gathered their information firsthand from the teams, say it has dropped only 28%. (Concussion Watch) According to Fox News, an NFL spokesperson made the following statement, “We are dedicated to making football safer and continue to take steps to protect players, including rule changes, advanced sideline technology, and expanded medical resources.”, so while it might be a slow and grueling process, efforts are still being made to further expand upon the horizon of what the NFL can do for their players. Without the support of the league and its players, these new protocols could be nothing but false hopes.
On the other hand, there are people including fans and senior citizens of the like who believe that concussions are all a part of the game.

That players know what they are getting themselves into when they get drafted into the NFL. I recently interviewed a student at Texas A&M University, who is a big Houston Texans fan, and he stated the following, “I believe that if you play in the NFL you know what you are getting yourself into: Head and bodily injuries are going to happen at some point in a player’s career. These people are paid to inflict harm to others and do whatever it takes to get a win. This is their job, and even though it might hurt someone else in the process, they have to bring home a paycheck to put food on the table. The bottom line is that football is a contact sport, it’s not for wimps and quitters.” The game of football requires full attention, swift practice, and perfect technique. Considering that there has “already been 15 concussions in 2015 in just over a month of play”, according to Frontline on pbs.org, the margin of error is slim to none. The bad news is, a player never knows when a concussion might strike.

Now, there are not just two sides to this issue, there is also a third one. And the third consists of the people who have no idea what has happened with this issue the past few years, or have paid little attention to it. Even if you’re not a fan of football, there’s no denying that concussions are a problem. Because when it comes to a person’s well

being, there can’t be any joking around. Concussions can happen anywhere at any time. They are a “thorn in the side” of a lot of teams because they are so unexpected. A game plan has to change so quickly that it could affect the rest of the season.
Concussions are a disease that are sweeping the globe in all sports, but they are most relevant in the National Football League. They are something that can’t be planned for or see coming. But the NFL is endlessly developing new ways to prevent them. More padding in helmets, suspensions, and fines for players who attempt to injure someone else are a few options that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is looking into for upcoming seasons. Even though a select few believe that a player should just “fend for themselves”, there is no denying that if nothing is done, more and more players will retire from the league, which in turn, could cause hundreds of impacts around the world, which could include kids who look up to those players to not learn the game of football because of the fear of injury. Those kids could grow up to not be the players on the field on a Sunday afternoon, but the very people who watch those players from the couch. The simple fact is that concussions affect so much more than a game. This hardship can cost a man his livelihood, his wife to worry and stress, and for their children, fear and the

concern for their own safety if they decide to partake in the ever changing game of football.