It’s becoming more and more obvious that professional football, as played by the NFL, is unsafe for players. It has been for some time, and worse, the NFL most likely knew about the seriousness of traumatic brain injuries. The Atlantic has compiled an insightful timeline of the league’s track record with concussions and brain injuries. I’d like to see this compared to the 2000+ former players who are suing the league and the eras in which they played.
Whether the NFL has done enough for its players past and present is up for debate. But the fact that the NFL is basically NASCAR with human beings, as The Dish eloquently states, can no longer be denied. Until the league takes serious corrective action I can’t see myself lending support by watching any games. So this will likely be my last Super Bowl for a while, not just for the players (who obviously are making their own choices at this point), but for the kids who are playing the game hoping to one day join the NFL and who aren’t able to make those choices.
Previously: Thoughts on Junior Seau’s Autopsy Results I posted on Facebook.
I gave up watching horse racing for similar reasons … cruelty to animals in that case. Football players are consenting adults. BUT …. a very apt analogy … it is NASCAR with human beings. I wonder if the rules could be changed enough to keep it interesting but without the big hits. Flag football. That might work.
I’m not sure anyone can truly give their consent when 1) they don’t have all the facts and 2) they’ve been involved in the culture of football for years, so they feel the pressure not to disrupt it.