Obama Concerned About Brain Injuries in Football

The Super Bowl is just around the corner and brain injuries in the sport are getting almost as much attention as the teams themselves.  Even President Obama has weighed in on the subject, saying that as a parent, he’s not sure he’d allow a son to play.  “I’m a big football fan, but I have to tell you if I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before I let him play football.”  Obama said in an interview with the New Republic.  “And I think that those of us who love the sport are going to have to wrestle with the fact that it will probably change gradually to try to reduce some of the violence.  In some cases, that may make it a little bit less exciting, but it will be a whole lot better for the players, and those of us who are fans maybe won’t have to examine our consciences quite as much.”      

The NFL has taken most of the public criticism for head injuries, with former players suffering the consequences of years of hard blows.  However, Obama said his greater concern is for amateur players who aren’t getting paid and may not have as full an appreciation of the risks.

“I tend to be more worried about college players than NFL players in the sense that the NFL players have a union, they’re grown men, they can make some of these decisions on their own, and most of them are well-compensated for the violence they do to their bodies,” Obama said.  “You read some of these stories about college players who undergo some of these same problems with concussions and so forth and then have nothing to fall back on. That’s something that I’d like to see the NCAA think about.”

The NFL has stayed a step ahead of the NCAA, both in enforcing rules designed to limit hits to the head and in treating players who suffer concussions.  But fans of football at every level should be prepared for more political pressure on the sport to dramatically reduce hits to the head.

 

CU Coach Takes Stance On One Too Many Concussions

This week, CU football player Will Harlos suffered a concussion during practice, something not uncommon for this player.  Earlier this year Colorado coach Jon Embree said he would not allow redshirt freshman Harlos to continue playing football for the Buffs, if the defender from Somerset, Texas, suffered another concussion.  A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works.

Embree followed through on that promise Tuesday when he informed Harlos and his family that he and CU medical staffers consider it unsafe and unwise for Harlos to continue to play for the team.   Embree said Harlos has the option of remaining at CU on scholarship if he medically retires.

Coach Embree understands the severity of brain injuries and their potential impact on the player’s future. His keen understanding of the subject was gained after coaching in the NFL for 5 years.  The league is being sued by nearly 3,500 plaintiffs who claim that it hid information linking concussions and football related head trauma to long-term brain injuries.  Several former NFL stars who had suffered concussions have even taken their own lives in the last several years.

With his first-hand knowledge, Embree decided to draw a line where he would no longer allow a player with a history of concussions to play for him at CU.

"I don't take that lightly," Embree said in the spring. "We have some guys who if they get one more concussion, they're done.  It's not up for debate.  If they want to play, they've got to go somewhere else.  I'm not having it on my shoulders."

Many players, like Harlos, are aware of the dangers of continuing to play with a history of concussions but love the sport too much to give it up. 

" I love football more than I fear for a concussion," Harlos said in the spring.  "It really overcomes it.  I'm not really worried about it.  I just want to come out here and play ball and show these people what I can do." 

Thankfully, Coach Embree took a stance to promote safety for his team players here at CU.  Hopefully, this will set a trend throughout not only college athletics, but even the NFL. 

Concussions and Youth Soccer

Fitness and training industries are also conscientious about concussions in youth sports.  Check out Jen Lesea-Ames, CEO of Fitwise Training, Inc.'s post about ways to identify Concussions in Youth Soccer!

Nelson Law Offices helps those families of children who are injured in youth sports by the negligence of others. 

NFL Sued for Concealing Effects of Multiple Brain Injuries on Players

Seventy-five former NFL players filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court this week, alleging that the league has covered up the harmful effects of concussions for almost 70 years.  

All of the players in the litigation claim they suffered injuries as a result of multiple concussions.  They contend the injuries left them with problems such as dementia, headaches, memory loss, blurred vision, sleeplessness and ringing in the ears.  Some claim the injuries caused depression, anxiety, "explosive mood changes," poor judgment and substance abuse.

The suit alleges that “the NFL knew as early as the 1920s of the harmful effects on a player’s brain of concussions; however, they concealed these facts from coaches, trainers, players and the public.”  The suit also names helmet-maker Riddell, the NFL's official helmet supplier, as a defendant.

The suit claims the NFL commissioned a study in 1994, titled "NFL Committee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury" that published a "false, distorted and deceiving" report in 2004, concluding there was "no evidence of worsening injury or chronic cumulative effects" from multiple concussions.

The suit alleges that the NFL finally acknowledged in June 2010 that concussions can lead to dementia, memory loss, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  CTE is a degenerative brain condition that has been linked to the deaths of several former NFL players, including former Chicago Bear Dave Duerson and former Cincinnati Bengal Chris Henry.

Even though this litigation could take years of trials and appeals before any final conclusion, its affect could potentially change the future of the NFL and how players' traumatic brain injuries are assessed and handled.