For years the NFL has denied it, hidden it, or flat out ignored it. Now, the truth finally exposes the NFL outlining details between ex-NFL players and brain damage caused by playing football over several years. Most fans would call this common sense especially given the overwhelming evidence of ex-payers suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s and other brain conditions. One of the sad stories of the NFL is the suffering of Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame Center, Mike Webster during his post-career.
Mike “Iron Mike” Webster was proven to be disabled before retiring from the National Football League (NFL). After retiring, Webster suffered from amnesia, dementia, depression, and acute bone and muscle pain.
It has been speculated that Webster’s ailments were due to wear and tear sustained over his playing career; some doctors estimated he had been in the equivalent of “25,000 automobile crashes” in over 25 years of playing football at the high school, college and professional levels. (wikipedia)
Now, for the first time in league history, the National Football League has released reports that Alzheimer’s disease and similar memory-related diseases and/or brain disorders appear to have been diagnosed in the league’s former players significantly more often than the national average. According to reports, players in the NFL are likely to suffer from these conditions at a rate of 19 times the normal rate for men ages 30 through 49.
The NFL has long denied reports such as these which is eye opening to players, fans and coaches alike although they did mention limitations in the study that produced these results.
Let’s hope the National Football League takes these results seriously and takes the proper precautions to ensure that players have long and prosperous careers after their playing days in the NFL.
