Concussions In American Football

First, I would like to discuss the fact that concussions are a well-known enough concern that allows people to make decisions on weather taking part in the game of football is worth the risk. In an article written in 2011 on ESPN.com, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew commented on whether he would play through a concussion or take himself out of the game. Jones-Drew responded by saying he would hide the concussion: “The bottom line is: You have to be able to put food on the table. No one's going to sign or want a guy who can't stay healthy. I know there will be a day when I'm going to have trouble walking. I realize that," Jones-Drew said. "But this is what I signed up for. Injuries are part of the game. If you don't …show more content…
I argue that this program is what the NFL should focus on instead of trying to change the rules of the game. The “Heads Up” program teaches players and coaches the correct way to tackle and the technique is the same for every tackle. The technique according to USA Football is “as a defender nears the point of contact, he takes a downhill power step toward the ball-carrier, keeping his head and eyes up. With a staggered stance – one foot slightly in front of the other – a deep knee bend while maintaining the 45-degree back angle coils the proper muscles for impact. By throwing “double uppercuts” with his arms tight into the ball-carrier’s body, the tackler releases his hips and grabs at the top of the jersey numbers to drive through the runner” (Frollo). This style of tackling allows the tackler to exert as much force as possible while also keeping the tackler’s head away from contact creating a safer impact for both players upon collision. Dr. Patrick Kersey, USA Football’s medical director and a sports medicine specialist believes that “the sooner a body learns something – whether it is football or any academic or athletic exertion – the better” (Frollo). This represents how Kersey believes that if football players are able to learn the correct and safe way to play football at an early age, they …show more content…
In his letter, Goodell wrote that the NFL “in recent years… [has] focused on protecting players from hits to the head and neck area. A new rule for 2013 prohibits any player… from hitting an opponent with the crown of the helmet outside of the tackle box…[as] the goal is to take the head out of the game” (Goodell). In a speech at Harvard in 2012, Goodell spoke about the changes needed in the NFL culture (Belson). By changes in the NFL culture, Goodell refers to changing the players’ attitudes so that they will reveal to trainers when they are truly hurt. If players would reveal when they are truly hurt instead of potentially playing in a game while having a concussion, many long-term injuries could be prevented (Belson). The issue regarding player honesty is one that is hard for the NFL to control. According to an AP report, the NFL has athletic trainers and team doctors on the sidelines that do all they can to ensure player safety, as well as an athletic trainer in the press box during games to point out possible concerns. The main reasons why many players do not report injuries are because they are afraid of losing their job along with future paychecks. If an NFL player loses his job and another player comes in and takes his place, the player with the injury could lose his job