It takes a different breed of athlete to be able to compete in the sport of football. The high speed collisions and aggression necessary to excel in the sport piggy backs with a multitude of possible injuries players are held victim too. The most tolling of these injuries being a concussion. Football players put traumatic damage on their brains from sub concussive hits that go under the radar to big skull crushing collisions that the fans live for. The offset trauma that results from these hits can lead to a life changing disorder that has been reported to tear apart the lives of former football players and their families; it is called CTE. CTE is an increasingly prevalent disease in today’s sports world, specifically in the realm of football. With more and more cases arising of former NFL players being diagnosed with the disease, the NFL is called to take action in keeping its players safe.  The term CTE refers to the medical terminology Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. There is lots of mystery surrounding the issue of CTE due to the fact that it is a relatively new disorder and it can only be determined posthumously (after death.) Scientists are unsure of the variables hat determine the severity of CTE in an individual, but they can claim with certainty that the disease is a result of repetitive concussive hits to the brain. The NFL has failed to acknowledge the connection of the development of CTE and the competition of football since the time of the diseases discovery. The studies that have been conducted of recent concussion research exhibit overwhelming evidence that football directly correlates to the development of CTE in an individual. With new studies coming out on a seemingly daily basis attributing the mental disorders caused by routine concussive brain trauma to the sport of football the NFL must adopt a stricter concussion protocol as well as raise further awareness of the dangers players put themselves at risk to. 

In regards to the medical field the discovery of CTE is fairly recent. The first recorded instance of a football player being diagnosed with CTE was in 2003 by Dr. Bennet Omalu. Omalu was a Nigerian born neuropathologist who lived a life so notable that a movie was made about him. He worked with Steeler’s star lineman Mike Webster throughout the latter half of the football players life. After Webster died of a heart attack at age 50 Omalu opened up his skull and examined his brain. He discovered a buildup of a protein called tau that was only previously examined in the brains of boxers. Tau causes degenerative tendencies in the brain and leads to early progressive dementia and Alzheimer’s. The discovery was made in 2003 and Omalu tried to bring his findings to light by exhibiting them to the Journal of Neurosurgery (biography.com). Omalu spent years trying to raise awareness for the disease and published a book called Play Hard Die Young. His book discusses the dangers NFL players face when they compete in the sport and gives insight into the struggles the victims are forced to deal with when they suffer from CTE. He details the stressful lives of former NFL players who were found to have CTE. In 2005 he learned that the NFL’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Committee demanded that Omalu retract his paper from the Journal of Neurosurgery, but Omalu decided to push his research onward into what he thought the public should be aware of. Omalu saw a glimpse of success when Mike Webster’s family received a large settlement from the NFL as a result of the suffering he went through after his career in the league (French). This proved fruitful for Omalu because it showed that the link between football and the development of CTE was something that should not be ignored. Since then there has been many studies conducted that delve deeper into the relationship of football and CTE. Dr. Ann Mckee of Boston University recently headed a study that displayed the most significant findings regarding CTE that has been revealed yet. Mckee along with a group of neuropathologists examined the brains of 111 former NFL football players. She posthumously looked for tau buildups in the brains of these players and her findings were shocking. 110 out of 111 of the subjects examined were found to have varying degrees of CTE. From notable Hall of Fame players to less known players who competed only a few years at a professional level, only 1 of them were void of the disorder (Ward). Mckee states, “There is no longer debatable that there is a problem in football – there is a problem in football.” Mckee believes that after the overwhelming data that she uncovered was made public that the issue with concussions is not an issue that needs to be discussed further but more so an issue that demands action as well as change. 

The thought of developing a chronic mental disorder like Alzheimer’s during the first half of one’s life is an idea that doesn’t register with most individuals. The sad reality is that for football players this can be a feasible truth. The difference between CTE and diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia is that these disorders start to effect the victim significantly sooner in life when they suffer from CTE. Ben Utek, a super bowl winning tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, retired from the NFL at age 28 with reported memory failure throughout his everyday life. After being examined by a team of doctors Utek was diagnosed with progressive Alzheimer’s disease (Martino). This disorder effecting an individual to the point where he is forced to retire from a profession he was so passionate about at the age of 28 is almost unheard of. Once the disease develops into more severe forms of dementia it becomes increasingly hard to maintain a normal life. CTE is accompanied by severe mood swings that reportedly change those who suffer from CTE to a degree where they are almost impossible to live with. Ken Stabler was a Hall of Fame Quarterback from the raiders who developed CTE throughout the course of his career. He was driven from his family as a result of the pain and suffering he was going through due to the disease. His former wife claims he had constant severe headaches, insomnia, and depression that caused him to lose motivation in maintaining his family life. He became out of touch with reality and eventually couldn’t even remember his children’s’ names. After Stabler passed away it was discovered that he had been suffering from CTE (Luckerson). The most notable case of CTE found in a player was with former convicted felon Aaron Hernandez. The tight end for the patriots was found guilty of homicide and sentenced to a life in prison. Shortly after being incarcerated he was found dead in his cell by way of asphyxiation. Hernandez took his own life at age 27 and when doctors examined his brain after he died it was discovered that he had the most severe case of CTE found in someone that age. Dr. Omalu made a statement claiming that he is absolutely certain that the CTE Hernandez had developed attributed to his criminal behaviors and suicide (Benson). Although it is far from common that victims carry out a homicide while suffering from the disorder very frequently those who suffer from CTE report violent tendencies as well as suicidal thoughts. While this doesn’t explain nor justify the actions of Hernandez it puts into perspective the mental struggles these players go through when they are forced to deal with CTE.

Concussion protocol has changed rapidly since the discovery of CTE, but NFL teams’ adherence to the steps necessary for a full recovery proves to be questionable still. In the past players were not sufficiently informed about the risks taken by playing while concussed. Because of this there are always two physicians on site to help identify any potential concussive hits. Once a potential concussion is identified the player is then sent to be examined by a series of different team neurologists who then determine how quickly he can come back to play. In a perfect world this protocol would work wonders for players who sustain multiple high impact collisions every game. The issue is teams frequently fail to follow this protocol in its entirety. For example, during the Panther’s season opener against the Broncos, Panther’s quarterback Cam Newton absorbed at least five helmet to helmet collisions throughout the course of the game. On the fifth hit Newton laid motionless on the ground as a result of the hit. He was never examined by a physician or a doctor. The NFL’s failure to identify any concussions Newton had sustained prove that this protocol is simply not intensive enough to create the player safety necessary to keep players from developing CTE. In a recent settlement case involving the NFL and current players resulted in compensation for the lifetime of struggle many players will face later in their lives. The league granted one billion dollars to what analysts project to be over twenty thousand retired players (ebsco). This provides some assurance to players that they will have assistance dealing with the disorders they may fall victim to down the road, but it is still putting a monetary value on the life of a human being. The mental degradation these players will face cannot be lessened by any amount of money. The sport of football must make changes to the way it is played and must adhere more strictly to the policies it has already administered.

The steps taken to ensure player safety in the NFL have without a doubt started in the right direction, but the reality is that it just isn’t enough. Rule changes, equipment changes, and stricter punishments to those who don’t specifically follow the concussion protocol in the NFL are all actions that have to take place in order to make the game safer. These athletes are performing on the highest level of their sport for the public’s entertainment and deserve the mental wellbeing that the rest of the world is able to enjoy. Dr. Omalu as well as other neuropathologists around the world refuse to silence their voices when it comes to CTE and make it their duty to spread awareness about the risks players take when playing football. With new studies coming out on a seemingly daily basis attributing the mental disorders caused by routine concussive brain trauma to the sport of football the NFL must adopt a stricter concussion protocol as well as raise further awareness of the dangers players put themselves at risk to. 