Patterson 1

Head Injuries in Football

Myka Patterson
English IV Honors
21 November 2016

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Head Injuries in Football

Thesis statement: Despite the fact that football is such a popular sport, the rules should be
changed to reduce injuries, to promote better coaching awareness, and to provide better
equipment for players.
I.

To Reduce Injuries
A.

Severity of injuries.
1.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is the disease that is found in

most deceased football players with head injuries.
a)

CTE is caused by taking hits from other players many times in a

row.

b)

In 2014, they studied the brains of 79 deceased players and results

came back and said 76 out of 79 players had suffered from CTE.

c)

When players get head injuries most of them have been known to
get chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.

2.

Cervical spinal injuries is damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves
at the end of the spinal canal.
a)

Advances in tackling and blocking techniques, rules of the game

and medical care of the athlete have been made throughout the past
few decades to minimize the risk of cervical injury and improve
the management of injuries that do occur most commonly in
linemen, defensive ends, and linebackers.

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B.

II.

Frequency and types of injuries; most injuries are low extremity injuries.
1.

Players hurting their ankles and knees are the low extremity injuries.

2.

The frequency of injuries is 10-35 per 1,000 playing hours.

To Promote Better Coaching Awareness

A.

The NFL was scared to say that playing football and getting injured leads to CTE.
1.

Players often try to hide their injury just so they can play in the big
game but that is not helping them.

B.

If you feel that you have the symptoms you should get checked out.
1.

Most players may have the symptoms of a concussion but often they do
not realize how much damage it can cause if they keep playing. The player
often does not realize how bad it is so they continue to participate in the
game.

2.
C.

Long term consequences are often elucidated.

When the complaints do not resolve quickly in most cases you should get checked
out because you most likely have a concussion.
1.

The risk of immediate consequences from a head injury can be observed

by the athletes post-traumatic complaints.

III.

Provide Better Equipment for Players

A.

Riddell football helmets are made to reduce concussions.

1.

The helmet was the most widely used in the NFL, college, high school,
and youth football leagues.

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2.

Riddell designed the Revolution helmet with the help of Biokinetics,

which was also working with the NFLs Minor Traumatic Brain Injury
(MTBI) Committee.

B.

A report was sent to Riddell saying no helmet, no matter how revolutionary, could
prevent concussions.
1.

Thousands of NFL players sued Riddell for failure to warn the players
that the helmet did not protect against concussions.

2.

The report also stated that even a helmet that passed the industry safety
standard for protection against skull fractures and other severe head
injuries could leave a player with a 95 percent likelihood of receiving a
concussion from a strong enough blow.

IV.

Counter Argument
A.

Changing the equipment does not reduce the cases of injuries.

1.

Rugby is a similar sport but they do not have the same equipment as
football. They do not have the padding or hard plastic helmets that
football has but are the helmets helping? Rugby has as many head injuries
as football does but the real issue is that even the use of helmets in football
are not keeping the cases of head injuries down.

2.

In rugby players are only allowed to have modest padding on their heads,
shoulders, and collarbones. The only thing required in rugby is a mouth
piece. In American football, players are required to have a helmet,
shoulder/chest pads, upper leg padding and a mouth piece.

Patterson 5

B.

Providing safer methods of tackling to reduce the use of equipment

1.

Rugby players are taught to tackle safely to reduce injuries so they do not
need padding, but rugby players do suffer from concussions. Football
players are taught to tackle hard which makes them need the protective
gear. If football players were taught safer tackling techniques like the
rugby players then that would help reduce the number of concussions per
season. Football players wear way more equipment than rugby players but
they often still face similar injuries.

2.

Football players could reduce the number of head injuries if they tackled
more with their shoulders like rugby players instead of using their heads
so much. Ike Reese, former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, said
that Todays football game is so much different than the game I played,
he said. Rugby tackling technique is perfect for todays football players.
I think if we learned those techniques at a younger age, like a lot of these
kids are getting the chance to do, that would certainly cut down on head
injuries and concussions.

V.

Reply to Counter Argument

A.

If people want to change the game of football to be safer like rugby then they
should just play that sport.
1.

People who want the game to be safer should just watch rugby because
American football might not ever change completely.

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2.

Minor changes in football could happen but they will not be enough to
effect the game.

B.

The equipment in rugby is different from football because football is a more

violent sport.
1.

The equipment in football is safer but it is not helping keep the amount of
injuries down so they should just go like rugby and barely have
equipment.

2.

Rugby barely uses equipment and football uses a lot but everyone still
wants to change the rules to make it safer.

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Myka Patterson
English IV
Mrs. Castle
21 November 2016
Head Injuries in Football
Football is a sport played between two different teams and consists of 11 players on each
of the two teams on the field at a time. Football is a very dangerous and vicious sport that
involves people getting injured. For some reason, people like to gather together every Sunday
and watch the big game but the big game is not going to be so big if a star player gets hurt.
Why would anyone want to watch someone from their favorite team take the chance of getting
hurt? Some people do not actually realize how bad the injury could be especially if it is a head
injury. Despite the fact that football is such a popular sport the rules should be changed to
reduce injuries, to promote better coaching awareness, and to provide better equipment for
players.
The most common head injury is a concussion, which is estimated to occur at a rate of
250,000 injuries per year in contact sports. A concussion is considered a traumatic brain injury,
or TBI. If an athlete has been injured, they may be able to play if they desire or until they are
checked for symptoms. The athlete will not be able to play if the pain is too bad. Untreated
concussions can place an athlete at serious danger of permanent brain damage.
If an athlete experiences a blow to the head, look for the following symptoms:
dizziness, nausea, vomiting, difficulty with balance, fatigue, difficulty sleeping,
sensitivity to light and noise, changes in mood, memory loss, and difficulty

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concentrating. If a football player experiences any of these symptoms, he should

sit out for the rest of the game and seek medical attention immediately. Also, keep
in mind that some athletes may not report symptoms for hours after the injury.
When in doubt, always get checked out by a medical professional. (Gleiber)
Long term consequences of minor head injuries continue to be elucidated. If the complaints do
not resolve quickly than in most situations you have a concussion. The risk of an immediate
consequence from a head injury can be observed by the athletes post-traumatic complaints
(Wilberger).
A former National Football League (NFL) linebacker named Adrian Robinson who
played for the Denver Broncos committed suicide in May after suffering from a brain disease
called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (NFL LB Who Committed Suicide Found to Have
CTE). Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a disease that is found in most deceased football
players with head injuries. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is triggered by taking hits from
other players numerous times in a row. In 2014, researchers studied the brains of 79 deceased
players and the results came back and said that 76 out of 79 players had suffered from Chronic
Traumatic Encephalopathy. When the players get head injuries most of them have been known
to get Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. Head injuries are more common in football
than any other sport. The cost of most head injuries is around $150. If many football players are
getting injured and the National Football League is paying for their medical costs, then that is
just taking their money. The National Football League was also scared to admit that playing
football and getting a head injury can lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Head injuries
can originate from hard hits that can damage a player for life.

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Not only do football players suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy but they also
can obtain spinal injuries. Cervical spinal injuries is damage to any part of the spinal cord or
nerves at the end of the spinal canal (Thomas, BE, GM McCullen, and HA Yuan). Advances in
tackling and blocking techniques, rules of the game, and medical care of the athlete have been
made throughout the previous few decades to minimize the dangers of cervical injury and
improve the management of injuries that do transpire most commonly in linemen, defensive
ends, and linebackers. For some players, it is only low extremity injuries that they suffer from
but just like concussions they likewise can put a player out of the game if they break a bone. The
frequency of injuries is 10-35 per 1,000 playing hours. Some low extremity injuries can still put
you out of the game for a few months, it just depends on how fast your body heals (Festa).
To encourage better coaching awareness, coaches should be better informed of this type
of injury (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) and players should be checked out by an athletic
trainer if the player is injured. Some coaches are not aware that a player is hurt badly because
the player does not speak up and let anyone know. Players often try to keep quiet about their
injury just so they can play in the big game but that is not helping them out either physically or
mentally. Most players may have the symptoms of a concussion or an injury but often do not
understand how much destruction it can cause if they keep playing in the game. Players take a
higher risk of making the injury worse if they do not try to find medical attention right away. All
players should have weekly exams or physicals to examine their body to make sure everything is
in good working order and that the player does not have a hidden injury.
To help provide better equipment for the players, Riddell came up with a new
helmet that they claimed may possibly help against concussions. Riddell designed the

Patterson 10

Revolution helmet with the help of Biokinetics, which was also working with the National
Football Leagues Minor Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Committee. The helmet was the most
widely used in the National Football League, college, high school, and youth football leagues
until they discovered a problem. A report was sent to Riddell saying no helmet, no matter how
revolutionary, could prevent concussions (Concussion Watch). The report also indicated that
even a helmet that passed the industry safety standard for protection against skull fractures and
other severe head injuries could leave a player with a 95 percent likelihood of receiving a
concussion from a strong enough blow. Thousands of National Football League (NFL) players
sued Riddell for failure to warn the players that the helmet did not protect against concussions
(PBS).
Changing football equipment does not decrease the cases of injuries, there are
additional sports with similar rules but different equipment. For example; rugby, is very similar
to football but they do not have the same rules or equipment as football. Rugby is a sport played
between two teams and consist of 15 players on each of the two teams playing at a time. Rugby
players do not have the padding or hard plastic helmets that football players have; so, are the
helmets helping rugby players? Rugby has as many head injuries as football does but the real
problem is that even the use of helmets in football are not keeping the cases of head injuries
down. In rugby, players are only allowed to have modest padding on their heads, shoulders, and
collarbones. The only piece of equipment required in rugby is a mouth piece. In American
football, the players are required to have a helmet, shoulder/chest pads, upper leg padding and a
mouthpiece (American Football vs. Rugby).

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Providing safer methods of tackling could decrease the use of equipment and the number
of head injuries. Rugby players are trained to tackle in a safer way to reduce injuries so they do
not need padding, but rugby players continue to suffer from concussions because they often
tackle low and wrap their arms around the opponent (Tackling Technique in Rugby vs
American Football"). Football players are trained to tackle hard which makes them need the
protective gear. If football players were trained safer tackling techniques like the rugby players
are, then that would help decrease the number of concussions per season. Football players could
reduce the number of head injuries if they tackled more with their shoulders like rugby players
instead of using their heads so much (American Football vs Rugby).
Ike Reese, former linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles, said that Todays football
game is so much different than the game I played, he said. Rugby tackling technique is perfect
for todays football players. I think that if we learned those techniques at a younger age, like a
lot of these kids are getting the chance to do, then that would certainly cut down on head injuries
and concussions (NFL Athletes Team up with Rugby Pros to Teach Safe Tackling).
If people want to transform the game of football to be safer like rugby then they should
just play that sport. People who would like the game to be safer should just watch rugby because
American football might not ever change completely. Minor changes in football could transpire
but they will not be enough to influence the game. The equipment in rugby is different from
football because football is a more violent sport. The equipment in football is safer but it is not
helping keep the amount of injuries down so they should just go play rugby and barely utilize
equipment. Rugby barely utilizes equipment and football utilizes a lot but then again everyone
continues to want to change the rules to make it safer.

Patterson 12

Some people may possibly agree on these rules in football and some may disagree, but
everyone will have their own opinion. The sport of football is very violent and people want to
continue to keep watching their favorite player or someone get hurt and be put out for the rest of
the season. This is their fault but despite the fact that football is such a popular sport the rules
should be changed to reduce injuries, to promote better coaching awareness, and to provide
better equipment for players. Changing the rules or at least adding safer additions to the game
will satisfy fans and keep us interested.

Patterson 13

Works Cited
American Football vs Rugby. - Difference and Comparison. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
"Common NFL Injuries & Unrealistic Recovery Expectations - Michael A. Gleiber, MD."
Michael A. Gleiber, MD. N.p., 30 Dec. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
Concussion Watch. PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
Dvorak, Jivi, and Astrid Junge. "Football Injuries and Physical Symptoms." The American
Journal of Sports Medicine. N.p., n.d. Web.
Festa, Ashley. "Football and Brain Injuries: "Something Needs to Change"" Alcalde. N.p., n.d.
Web. July-Aug. 2015.
Head Injuries In Rugby vs. Football - Brain Injury Law Center. Brain Injury Law Center.
N.p., 2014. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
"Head Injuries In Sports." Bjsm.bmj. Ed. RC Cantu. N.p., n.d. Web.
McDowell, Jeff. "NFL Athletes Team up with Rugby Pros to Teach Safe Tackling." Collegiate
Rugby Championship. N.p., n.d. Web. June-July 2015.
NFL LB Who Committed Suicide Found to Have CTE.SI.com. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
"Tackling Technique in Rugby vs. American Football." BigSoccer Forum. N.p., n.d. Web. 17
Nov. 2016.
Thomas, BE, GM McCullen, and HA Yuan. "Cervical Spine Injuries in Football Players."
Cervical Spine Injuries in Football Players. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
Wilberger, Jack E. "Minor Head Injuries in American Football." - Springer. N.p., n.d. Web. 04
Dec. 2015.