Concussions in the NFL: Serious or not?

An editorial by Sophia Soto In the NFL there are many different opinions about concussions and their long term effects on the players after playing this sport. Many appeals can be used to state an opinion such as ethos, pathos and logos. The outcome of too many concussions in an NFL career is very severe and possibly even deadly. Many doctors have been finding CTE short for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in many of the retired NFL players. In the 2007 book Neurosurgery, written by Robert C. Cantu he stated, Andre Waters,, he became the third NFL player known to have died as a result of chronic traumatic encephalopathy(CTE) attributed to the multiple concussions he experienced while playing in the NFL. This trauma has been effecting so many of the retired NFL players right after their
Eagles safety Andre Waters making a tackle in 1988. (Schwarz, 2007).

football careers. For example, Andre Waters was a very well respected football player who decided to take his own life in 2007. Deceased players brains were examined and the results were so common that it opened up peoples minds to concussions. In the book Neurosurgery, the brains were examined by Bennett Omalu, M.D., a forensic pathologist at the University of Pittsburg, and shared common features of CTE including neurofibrillary tangles, neutrophil threads, and cell dropout. These former players just wanted to live a normal retired life but had to face the outcome early after their retirement.

Kwana Pittman the niece of Andre Waters had great responsibility brought upon her and she had a decision to make. After the tragic suicide of her uncle Waters Pittman received a call from Nowinski, who was researching the effects of concussions. He asked her if she would allow him to have someone analyze Waters brain to examine the impact football had on it. In NFL Fight, Women Lead the Way Kwana with heartfelt emotion states, My family and I, we couldnt understand why Uncle Andre did this. Kwana and her family wanted answers and wanted to help the public so that is doesnt happen to other families and maybe change can be done. In the NFL concussions have always been seen but not really seen until deaths and the players are already harmed. Making this sport safer has been an ongoing process but not enough is being done fast enough. In an article I read on Brett Favre, he was suffering from headaches, memory loss and showing symptoms of CTE. This is a matter that needs great consideration for present and future NFL players. Helmets are being made safer and new rules are being added such as a new hitting rule. The new hitting rule was made so that no head to head contact is made when tackling to avoid possibly getting a concussion. The matter of concussions has always been a subject of interest but not I see it as an issue that is raising so many questions and is even questioning the NFLs safety for its players. I believe change needs to be now and the NFL needs to step it up on enforcing new rules and helping former players cope with CTE. Families are also effected greatly and are standing up for what is right by informing the public on concussions and its effects by sharing their stories.

References Cantu, R. C. (2007). Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the National Football League. Neurosurgery, 61(2), 223-225. Book. Schwarz, A. (2007). Expert Ties Ex-Players Suicide to Brain Damage. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/sports/football/18waters.html?pagewanted=all&_r= 0 Image. Schwarz, A. (2010). In NFL Fight, Women Lead the Way. New York Times, 4(10).