The Super Bowl was yesterday and you undoubtedly saw amazing hits from some of the best athletes in the world. It’s one of the main reasons we watch. There’s something inside of us that reacts from a deep, guttural, instinctive place when we see one grown-ass man pile drive another grown-ass man into what is probably artificial turf.
But there is ever increasing concern that those hits, big or small, or causing incredibly life altering and ultimately deadly consequences for players.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is a neurodegenerative disease that can only be diagnosed after death through autopsy. Many former NFL players have donated their brains for research after they die and were posthumously diagnosed with this horrible disorder.
We don’t know much, but scientist believe that people who have CTE will have signs and symptoms that are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and dementia.
Former Tennessee Titans tight end Frank Wycheck discussed on his radio show this morning that he believes he may have CTE. He finds himself walking into rooms and forgetting why he was there, short-term memory loss, horrible migraine headaches, depression, and other side and symptoms that are unfortunately all too characteristic for many former NFL players.
There is no cure for CTE. All we know at this stage is that it is likely caused by repeated traumatic blows to the head. Wycheck believes he may have had more than 250,000 hits to his head during his football career.
CTE, concussions, and other dangers of football particularly for kids is one of the reasons that parts of the country are seeing a dramatic growth in youth flag football.
From a medical standpoint, I love this. Much safer for the kiddos. However, as a lifelong football fan, a part of me says “that’s not real football.”
What are your thoughts? Even though the NFL has now acknowledged the role of football as a cause of CTE, and we already know the dangers of concussions in football… Should be still allow our kids to start playing at such a young age?
Ex-Titans TE Frank Wycheck Believes He Has CTE
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18631017/ex-tennessee-titans-te-frank-wycheck-believes-cte
On C.T.E and Athletes, Science Remains in Its Infancy
Why the NFL can finally admit that football causes CTE and not owe players anything
http://www.sbnation.com/2016/4/18/11451036/nfl-concussion-settlement-cte
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