The National Football League’s 2015 season kicks of this Thursday in Foxboro, Massachusetts, but the league office will surely celebrate the date as the end of the league’s worst year ever.
Over the last 12 months, Commissioner Roger Goodell struggled to appropriately discipline players accused of domestic violence, the Washington Redskins pitifully defended their team’s disrespectful namesake and Tom Brady just defeated the league in court.
Unfortunately for the NFL, the coming year will only be worse. This December, Sony Pictures will release the film "Concussion." In doing so, Sony will inspire a sorely needed national conversation on the safety of football.
The film, starring Will Smith, chronicles the work of Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered the relationship between repeated head trauma in football and severe health affects. He encountered stiff resistance from individuals who wished to suppress or ignore that information.
Will Smith could make the NFL very uncomfortable with "Concussion" (via @SI_PeterKing) http://t.co/jf4tTBNWsJ https://t.co/9fKhZsXZ2Q
— SB Nation (@SBNation) September 1, 2015
Today, more information than ever exists on the severe effects of repeated head trauma in football. The tragic deaths of former star players like Dave Duerson and Junior Seau have inspired some current professionals to quit football altogether. Chris Boreland, a former San Francisco 49er, left the game over concerns for his long-term health.
Outside of Boreland’s decision, head trauma has largely been overshadowed in the last year by more pressing concerns regarding the NFL. Thankfully, "Concussion" will change that.
The NFL may have settled the concussion lawsuit filed by former players, but resolving a lawsuit does not make the problem go away. From Pop Warner to the pros, football players expose themselves to repeat head trauma on a daily basis that can induce serious health problems in the future.
For too long, parents and players have been unaware of the risks associated with the sport. The pioneering work of Dr. Bennet Omalu — the subject of the film "Concussion" — opened the door to a wealth of research on the correlation between head injury in football and degenerative diseases such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
Player concussions aren't just football's problem—they're society's: http://t.co/6HHMXhHYRE pic.twitter.com/rw3Cvl7rEd
— New Republic (@NewRepublic) September 2, 2015
More work needs to be done to ensure that parents and players at all levels are fully informed of the risks associated the sport. Leagues at every level are increasing commitment to identifying and treating concussions, but players remain at risk.
Concussions are still an integral part of playing football. Even worse, players are still being put back into games after suffering severe head trauma. The most notable such instance occurred last fall in a college game, when Michigan quarterback Shane Morris re-entered a game against Minnesota after suffering a devastating hit. Commentators denounced the decision on the broadcast, but Morris remained on the field nonetheless.
The film "Concussion" has the ability to change (or rather, start) a national discussion on player safety. Concussion can powerfully and clearly convey a truth that we have all known for too long: football is a dangerous game, perhaps so dangerous that it simply isn’t worth playing.
Related Links:
Partnering with Riddell in concussion study a great move for ASU football
ASU graduate students develop Barrow Brainbook, hope to educate youth on concussions
Reach the columnist at clmurph5@asu.edu or follow @ConnorLMurphy on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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