Concussions In The NFL

Thesis- I want you to better understand concussions, why they’re a problem in the NFL and what measures are being taken to prevent them.

The National Football League, more commonly known as the NFL, has had growing cases of retired players that suffer from mental trauma or mental diseases from concussions. A concussion is a short loss of brain function following a direct or indirect force to the head. Concussions are extremely difficult to diagnose because the damage is seemingly invisible to the naked eye. Although the damages may not be present, the effects are long lasting. Concussions are plaguing retired NFL players and affecting the former athletes long term mental health.

A concussion is medically defined by a traumatic injury to the brain. An athlete that has a concussion may experience signs of confusion, may lose consciousness, disorientation, or have a dazed look. Concussions occur due to an impact with the ground or another player. The skull is stopped by the impact, but the brain continues to move inside the skull in a shaking or spinning manner. Medical experts state that, “Violent shaking caused the brain cells to become depolarized and fire all their neurotransmitters at once in an unhealthy cascade, flooding the brain

Concussions are and will continue to be an ongoing issue in almost all sports today. This is especially true in the case of football and the NFL. Concussions are considered the most common and least devastating form of traumatic brain injury someone can receive. Although concussions are considered the least serious type of brain injury they can still lead to and cause many irreversible brain diseases and in some cases people have even lost their lives because of concussions. One of these diseases is called chronic traumatic encephalopathy or better known as CTE. There have been many recent medical developments that have allowed us to learn more about the brain and things that affect it. This increased knowledge has caused unrest

In the NFL preseason, tight end Austin Collie ran a route, caught the ball and was immediately tackled to the ground. He lied there on the ground for almost 10 minutes not getting up. He was hit in the head by a defensive on the opposite team. When he came back to the game after 2 weeks he was hit again in the head and had to leave because of getting a concussion. Since getting that concussion he had to miss another 3 games and after that he ended his NFL career for good. Football teams need to figure out how they can prevent brain damage from concussion by teaching the players how to tackle, understanding the signs of a concussion, and upgrading the equipment that they are using.

Concussions can cause long term effects if not treated properly. A player can recover from a concussion in a few weeks, but the lasting effects of a concussions still prove relevant. Retired players that have suffered from concussions during their careers and were not treated properly felt the long-term effects of sustaining head injuries that caused many to commit suicide, which has led to the NFL investigating their concussion protocol to keep the players safe. As the NFL uses its lead doctors to investigate and understand more about the brain it will lead to gains in the safety of athletes

On fall Friday nights everywhere, high schools are buzzing for one thing: football. The players have practiced all week and are excited to get on the field. Students, parents, and fans alike are all counting down the minutes until kickoff. However, in one play all that excitement can be taken away. One helmet-to-helmet hit is sometimes all it takes for a player to sustain a concussion. Concussions happen frequently in football. Many people do not realize the risks associated with this type of injury. High school coaches need to be better trained on how to recognize potential concussions, athletes need to be better educated on concussions, and stricter concussion

In NFL history the first person who was ever diagnosed with CTE was the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Webster. During the years as he played he was never diagnosed with a concussion, but once he had committed suicide years later scientists started to wonder. Scientists explain “Through the discovery of CTE in the brains of athlete Mike Webster and many others, have launched the disease into public consciousness. Showing 87 of 91 former NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE.” ("What is CTE") Through all of the tragic happenings, the NFL did nothing. The NFL had denied the fact that there was anything going on and that it could not have been their fault for endangering one of America's best defensive player. While some may not

It is important to analyze the NFL and concussions among its players as an interrelated issue rather than looking at individual instances. When a player sustains a concussion they then undergo physical repercussions from this traumatic brain injury. The case that really started all this concussion discussion was back in 2002 when Hall of Fame Center Mike Webster was found dead. Webster’s death spurred debate on the issue that still continues today. Meanwhile, the NFL’s role as a business has also played a significant role in limiting its ability to address the concussion problem and other brain injuries that result from playing professional football. Prior to his death, Webster had suffered from such severe pain that the only

Do you keep yourself up to date with the news, ESPN, or the National Football League? If so, then you have probably heard of the many problems of the long-term effects of football-related concussions. Even kids in high school who have suffered multiple concussions are immediately put at risk for death related cause of such a severe head injury. As committees create and change the rules to protect players from such a traumatic brain injury, it is up to coaches and officials to enforce these rules to protect players. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, a concussion is defined as a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. There are many different ways to receive a concussion, but

Football, one of the most viewed sports in the U.S., but there is one serious thing that is making football players not play. What are the effect on this thing. Football is one of the most sports that has concussions, CTE is one of the effets on it but there is way one that just CTE like research about concussions and a person named Jim hushen that had CTE and how it affect his live.

Concussions in football have always been a problem. Recently the NFL is doing more to protect players from this serious head injury. a couple of moves made by the NFL to prevent concussions is that they moved the kickoff line up 5 yards resulting in a higher chance of a touchback. Another move to prevent concussions is that players are getting fined for illegal tackles that occur. The NFL is doing more to protect players because they realize concussions can have serious effects later in life like losing the ability to remember things. According to Nadia Kounang “NFL football players are 3 times more likely to have a neurodegenerative disease compared to the average population”. Examples of these diseases are Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. The target population is football players who have received concussions in their playing days. Many of these head injuries were caused by players who wanted to excite the crowd with a big hit knowing a lot of the fans were just there to see violence and that the player would become more popular to those

Before I begin my argument there is some personal connection and history I would like to share. I remember it like it was yesterday, several times feeling like I had a concussion. Getting up off the turf feeling dizzy and sometimes as players would call it “seeing stars”. Any and everyone who plays the game of football takes a risk one of the biggest being a chance to obtain a concussion. Luckily I have been concussion free but many of my friends and family members have not been so lucky. One game a friend of mine, Yaya Diaby, had a concussion and had to sit the rest of the game which had a huge impact on our defense. My former high school coach was subject to five concussions which put an end to his career. The biggest impact I’ve witnessed due to a concussion is memory

In the NFL there are many different types of injuries that occur some more serious than others, however one type of injury sticks out the most when it comes to trauma after they retire, that type of injury are concussions, concussions are a very serious issue because, they can ultimately lead to CTE and the retirement of young players, this ultimately will be the demise of the NFL if something is not done. There are many signs of concussions such as headaches, imbalance, memory loss, and confusion. One of the main issues with concussions in the NFL is the way they are treated, Dr Dias Jr. stated in a recent article he published,” 91 former NFL players

Concussions in the NFL have become a very serious issue. A concussion is a complex process that effects the brain, usually from a trauma, it can be caused by either a direct blow to the head or an indirect blow to the body. Symptoms usually reflect a functional disturbance to the brain and may include headaches and nausea, difficulty with memory and concentration.