Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
Concussions are brain injuries that occur when a person
receives a blow to the head, face, or neck. Although most people who
suffer a concussion experience initial bouts of dizziness, nausea, and
drowsiness, these symptoms often disappear after a few days. The
long-term effects of concussions, however, are less understood and far
more severe. Recent studies suggest that people who suffer
multiple concussions are at a significant risk for developing chronic
traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder that
causes a variety of dangerous mental and emotional problems to arise
weeks, months, or even years after the initial injury. These psychological problems can include
depression, anxiety, memory loss, inability to concentrate, and aggression. In extreme cases, people
suffering from CTE have even committed suicide or homicide. The majority of people who develop these
issues are athletes who participate in popular high-impact sports, especially football. Although both new
sports regulations and improvements in helmet technology can help protect players, the sports media and
fans alike bear some of the responsibility for reducing the incidence of these devastating injuries.
Improvements in diagnostic technology have provided substantial evidence to link severe—and
often fatal—psychological disorders to the head injuries players receive while on the field. Recent
autopsies performed on the brains of football players who have committed suicide have shown advanced
cases of CTE in every single victim.
In response to the growing understanding of this danger, the National Football League (NFL) has
revised its safety regulations. Players who have suffered a head injury on the field must undergo a
"concussion sideline assessment"—a series of mental and physical fitness tests—before being allowed
back in the game. In an effort to diminish the amount of head and neck injuries on the field, NFL officials
have begun enforcing stricter penalty calls for helmet-to-helmet contact, leading with the head, and hitting
a defenseless player. Furthermore, as of 2010, if a player’s helmet is accidentally wrenched from his
head during play, the ball is immediately whistled dead. There is hope that these new regulations,
coupled with advances in helmet design, will reduce the number of concussions player endure, and thus
curb the number of CTE cases.
Efforts by the NFL and other professional sports leagues are certainly laudable; indeed, we
should commend every attempt to protect the mental and physical health of players. However, new
regulations at the professional level cannot protect amateur players, especially young people. Fatal cases
of CTE have been reported in victims as young as 21. With appropriate equipment and form, tackling
need not be dangerous. Proper tackling form—using the arms and shoulders to aim for a player’s
midsection rather than leading with the top of the head—should be taught at an early age. Youth, high
school, and college leagues should also adopt safety rules even more stringent that the NFL’s.
Furthermore, at an early age, athletes should be educated about the serious dangers of head injuries.
Perhaps the most important factor in reducing the number of traumatic brain injuries, however,
lies not with the players, the coaches, or the administrators, but with the media and fans. Sports media
producers have become accustomed to showcasing the most aggressive tackles and the most intense
plays. NFL broadcasts often replay especially violent collisions, while the commentators marvel at the
physical prowess of the players involved. Some sports programs even feature weekly countdowns of the
hardest hits. When the media exalts such hazardous behavior, professionals are rewarded for injuring
each other on the field, and amateurs become more likely to try to imitate their favorite NFL athletes.
Announcers, commentators, television producers, and sportswriters should engage in a collective effort to
cease glorifying brutal plays. In turn, fans should stop expecting their favorite players to put their lives on
the line for the purposes of entertainment. Players must stop being encouraged to trade their careers,
health, happiness, and their lives for the sake of a game.