15 years ago, Congress forced the NFL, NFLPA to take concussions more seriously

The NFL’s Journey in Handling Concussions: A 15-Year Reflection

The NFL has made significant strides in how it addresses the issue of concussions among players. This journey in concussion management can be traced back 15 years to tomorrow’s date. On October 28, 2009, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith were called to testify before Congress regarding the league’s approach to brain injuries.

During the hearing, the focus was often on whether the NFL would acknowledge a link between concussions and long-term health issues. Although Dr. agila casino Ira Casson, who was the chairman of the NFL’s committee on concussions at the time, did not testify (due to a dispute about his attendance), one Congress member showcased a previous clip of Casson denying any connection between repeated head injuries and neurological disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. On the other hand, Smith was more straightforward on behalf of the NFLPA, admitting that the union “has not done its best in this area,” adding, “We will do better.”

This response, however, didn’t pacify some Congressional members. Representative Linda Sánchez remarked, “[I]t sort of reminds me of the tobacco companies pre-’90s when they kept saying, ‘Oh, there’s no link between smoking and damage to your health. ph taya login’”

Changes Sparked by Congressional Hearing

The hearing pressed the NFL to implement necessary changes. It started with a new protocol for players returning to the field post-concussion, now known as the concussion protocol. This system has evolved over time to ensure that players don’t return until they are fully ready and to manage the immediate removal of players who suffer head injuries. Less than two years after the Congressional involvement, lawsuits began to emerge. A large class-action suit was eventually settled, leading to the establishment of a fund that provides benefits to players experiencing specific cognitive issues, without requiring them to demonstrate that these conditions stem from their time in the NFL. zenith food corp

Player Retirement Concerns

Initially, there were worries that players might retire early due to concussion fears. While some have cited brain injury concerns upon retiring later in their careers, only linebacker Chris Borland of the 49ers chose to leave the league early, driven by worries over concussions.

Today, the risks associated with football are well understood. As recently highlighted by Tua Tagovailoa’s return to play despite concerns, players are fully aware of the risks they are taking. Yet they continue to pursue their passion. It’s worth noting that people willingly take far greater risks for far less financial reward, and they have every right to do so. As long as there’s a physician willing to clear them for play, any player who has dealt with multiple concussions can opt to return to the game.

Ongoing Obligations and Challenges

This does not relieve the NFL of its responsibility to ensure players are properly evaluated during games and to remove them from high-risk situations. A lingering challenge remains: the balance between efficiently processing player evaluations and providing genuine health care. This tension may persist indefinitely ja morant post.

Will the NFL continue to improve its concussion protocols in the coming years? lucky cola online