NFL player quits over concussion fears

backseatLover12

I wonder what this'll do long-term to NFL football…

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/american-football/31918947

Chris Borland: NFL player quits over concussion fears

A rising star of American football has retired after just one season because he fears his health could suffer from the long-term effects of concussion.
Chris Borland, a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, quit after talking to concussion researchers and his family.
His four-year deal with the 49ers was reportedly worth around $3m (£2.03m).
The 24-year-old Borland, who suffered two prior concussions before joining the 49ers, was among the top rookies in the NFL last season.
He finished with 107 tackles and two interceptions.
The issue of brain injuries in American football is a hot topic.
A class-action lawsuit involving thousands of former players, filed in 2012, contended that the NFL hid the dangers of brain injury among players while profiting from the sport's violent physical contact.
In February, a US judge refused to accept a proposed settlement between the NFL and the players, saying payment should be expanded for some players and families among other concerns.
Borland becomes one of the most prominent NFL players to quit because of concerns about brain injuries.
Last year Seattle Seahawks receiver Sidney Rice retired at the age of 27 over fears for his long-term health after absorbing so many blows to the head.
Speaking to ESPN's Outside the Lines, Borland said: "I just want to do what's best for my health. From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk."
San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke said the news was "unexpected", while the NFL insisted "football has never been safer".
Jeff Miller, the NFL's senior vice president of health and safety policy, added he respected Borland's decision and accepted there was still work to do. But he added: "We continue to make progress with rule changes, safer tackling techniques at all levels of football, and better equipment, protocols and medical care for players."
Borland, a history graduate at the University of Wisconsin, plans to further his education and pursue a career in sports management.

callen

Smart guy.

bootlegger10

I wonder what his money situation is like. Rich parents? Rich in-laws? It would be tough to walk away from NFL money without a fallback plan. Smart guy though if he is choosing health over money.

backseatLover12

He's planning to go back to school and major in sports management, I heard tonight on a news report. Smart man.

Last-12-Exit

Good for him. I doubt it will have any impact on the NFL at all since there will be 100 players ready to fill his spot. For every player that decides to retire for whatever reason, there are guys ready to step right in.

What I'm unsure about is if the NFL is serious about the health of its work force. They talk about player safety, and turn around and propose an 18 game schedule. These owners will do anything to get a couple of extra home games a year.

rr165892

It will do absolutely nothing to impact the NFL.thousands and thousands will line up to take his place.
Borland is smart to know his body.But zero impact.Zero!!!!!!

Indifference71

Last-12-Exit said:

What I'm unsure about is if the NFL is serious about the health of its work force. They talk about player safety, and turn around and propose an 18 game schedule. These owners will do anything to get a couple of extra home games a year.

Yep, Goodell and the owners are a bunch of hypocritical jerkoffs. Sure, they have changed a lot of things when it comes to blows to the head and concussions to increase player safety. But like you said, at the same time they keep talking about adding more games. And they also force every team to play at least 1 Thursday night game 4 days after playing a game the previous Sunday. Anything they can do to make more $$ will always outweigh player safety. Pretty sad.

eddiec

rr165892 said:

It will do absolutely nothing to impact the NFL.thousands and thousands will line up to take his place.
Borland is smart to know his body.But zero impact.Zero!!!!!!

Zero Impact? I think the fact that we are talking about it and that it has made national headlines means it already has had an impact. There's so much research going into NFL injuries, especially to the brain, and they are all going to come back with grave results.
I think we are only at the beginning stages of seeing players being affected later in life.
The NFL is on its way to becoming like boxing- a sport where only the lowest economic bracket even considers participating.

Indifference71

eddiec said:

rr165892 said:

It will do absolutely nothing to impact the NFL.thousands and thousands will line up to take his place.
Borland is smart to know his body.But zero impact.Zero!!!!!!

Zero Impact? I think the fact that we are talking about it and that it has made national headlines means it already has had an impact. There's so much research going into NFL injuries, especially to the brain, and they are all going to come back with grave results.
I think we are only at the beginning stages of seeing players being affected later in life.
The NFL is on its way to becoming like boxing- a sport where only the lowest economic bracket even considers participating.

The impact won't be immediate, but it will be interesting to see what the NFL looks like in 20 years. It seems like more and more people aren't allowing their kids to play football. I know when I have kids, it would be very hard for me to allow them to play tackle football with everything that is known now about head injuries, long term effects, etc....

hedonist

Yeah, Indifference - I wonder how much of the eventual damage begins when the playing itself does. High school, college-level. By the time they reach the NFL, it's well on its way.

WhatYouTaughtMe

hedonist said:

Yeah, Indifference - I wonder how much of the eventual damage begins when the playing itself does. High school, college-level. By the time they reach the NFL, it's well on its way.

I believe studies have determined the guys who started playing before the age of 12 are more likely to develop concussion related problems later in life.

gimmesometruth27

give it 20 years.

football as we know it will not exist.

they have only been studying concussions in football for about 15 years. There are no long term studies following these guys. part of it is because players were always conditioned to not say anything about head injuries. now, players are more concerned about the long term effects, so they are more willing to report these injuries to medical staff.

once the long term study data comes out, with subjects in the thousands instead of the hundreds, stronger correlations between repeated head trauma and brain damage later can be drawn.

bring on all the helmet technology you want. it is not going to change anything. it is not the direct blows to the head, it is the blows that cause coup/countercoup and shearing injuries to the brain. no helmet can prevent that.

Indifference71

gimmesometruth27 said:

give it 20 years.

football as we know it will not exist.

they have only been studying concussions in football for about 15 years. There are no long term studies following these guys. part of it is because players were always conditioned to not say anything about head injuries. now, players are more concerned about the long term effects, so they are more willing to report these injuries to medical staff.

once the long term study data comes out, with subjects in the thousands instead of the hundreds, stronger correlations between repeated head trauma and brain damage later can be drawn.

bring on all the helmet technology you want. it is not going to change anything. it is not the direct blows to the head, it is the blows that cause coup/countercoup and shearing injuries to the brain. no helmet can prevent that.

So you think the NFL won't exist in 20 years?

gimmesometruth27

Indifference71 said:

gimmesometruth27 said:

give it 20 years.

football as we know it will not exist.

they have only been studying concussions in football for about 15 years. There are no long term studies following these guys. part of it is because players were always conditioned to not say anything about head injuries. now, players are more concerned about the long term effects, so they are more willing to report these injuries to medical staff.

once the long term study data comes out, with subjects in the thousands instead of the hundreds, stronger correlations between repeated head trauma and brain damage later can be drawn.

bring on all the helmet technology you want. it is not going to change anything. it is not the direct blows to the head, it is the blows that cause coup/countercoup and shearing injuries to the brain. no helmet can prevent that.

So you think the NFL won't exist in 20 years?

not as it is now.

PJ_Soul

I don't see how anyone thinks concussions in the NFL can be avoided given the nature and rules of the game ... Isn't it just a risk the players have to take or not take? Same as the risk everyone takes when they drive their cars?

hedonist

It is a risk - a known one and as such, a deliberate decision - though I think greater (ie, more likely to occur on a semi-regular basis) than driving a car.

WhatYouTaughtMe

hedonist said:

It is a risk - a known one and as such, a deliberate decision - though I think greater (ie, more likely to occur on a semi-regular basis) than driving a car.

That is why we need to protect our little ones before they can make those types of informed decisions. I don't have an issue with grown men banging their head against a wall if they want.

WhatYouTaughtMe

Well I guess everyone is overreacting! Football is safer than riding a bike! http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=12507025

dignin

WhatYouTaughtMe said:

Well I guess everyone is overreacting! Football is safer than riding a bike! http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=12507025

Glad that's all settled.

gimmesometruth27

my colleagues on the Rams medical staff would probably have something to say about that.

this guy studied only 153 cases of CTE. that is like a drop of water in the ocean given the millions of people who have played american football. back in the early 1900s, they tried to ban it because people would actually die on the field.

in his own abstract : "[T]he incidence of CTE remains unknown due to the lack of large, longitudinal studies."

these studies are in the works now. again, give it 20 years.

PJ_Soul

Either way, I'm not sure what the end goal would be.... Do people think that American football should be changed to a non-contact sport or what??
A lot of sports are intrinsically dangerous. Some much more so than football. So what?