Written by: Melissa Harder
I found the timing between the announcement
of the NFL player suspensions for their role in Saints "Bounty-Gate" and Junior
Seau’s death absolutely eerie. Four players — Scott Fujita, Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith, and Jonathan
Vilma — were suspended without pay for conduct detrimental to the NFL as a
result of their roles in the New Orleans Saints' bounty program that endangered
player safety over three seasons from 2009-2011. That same day, in Oceanside, California, former NFL linebacker Junior Seau,
an icon during a 20-year playing career, was found dead in his home of an
apparent suicide. Seau was 43, and leaves behind an ex-wife and
three children.
"It is
the obligation of everyone, including the players on the field, to ensure that
rules designed to promote player safety, fair play, and the integrity of the
game are adhered to and effectively and consistently enforced," Roger Goodell
said in a statement.
And yet, we now have another NFL player,
the third in a year, dead of an apparent suicide. The average life expectancy
of an American male is 75. According to the NFL Players Association, the average life expectancy of
an NFL player is 58 years of age.
Seau shot himself in the chest the same way Dave Duerson committed
suicide 15 months ago. Duerson, the former Chicago Bears all-pro safety, left
notes and text messages indicating he wanted his brain donated to Boston
University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. Seau’s family
decided today they plan to donate Junior’s brain to science.
Traumatic
encephalopathy is the medical term for dementia caused by the blows players
take to the head. Duerson’s autopsy confirmed that his brain had been damaged
and diseased from repeated concussions.
And last
month, former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, 62, shot himself. His wife
said he suffered from depression and dementia after taking years of hits. Just
a day after Seau’s death, more than 100 former NFL players filed a federal lawsuit in Atlanta
claiming that pro football doesn’t properly protect its players from
concussions. The plaintiffs include former Atlanta Falcon Jamal Anderson,
ex-Georgia star Lindsey Scott and veteran quarterback Don Majkowski.
Seau’s
close friends aren’t suggesting head trauma necessarily contributed to his
death. ESPN, however, reported that these same friends
did say that Seau received several concussions over his career, but never
registered any of them with the NFL. This past summer, the lockout provided a forum to discuss player safety
and while the NFL made some changes, it left players with the choice between hitting
an opponent high or low. High means a player might miss a few games with a
concussion. Low means a career might be ended with a knee injury.
Years ago,
Seau spoke with Sports Illustrated about the need to limit head trauma as much
as possible in the NFL. He talked about fathers not being able to remember
their children's names. Seau said if the game doesn't change, "more
players, more great players (are going to be affected) by things that we know
of and aren't changing. That's not right."
Seau's
death can’t help but reopen the discussion over the long-term damage caused by
head injuries sustained on the football field. Will concern for players safety
ever really come before money, entertainment and a fan’s hunger for huge hits?
I don’t know. While a fan yearns for entertainment, we don’t think about how a
player’s life will change a few years down the road, long after they’ve hung up
their cleats and shelved their pads for the last time.
2013 NFL Draft – Top Impact Players
This year’s National Football League draft gets underway on Thursday night (4/25) in New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall. The ceremony will begin at 8ET and be televised on ESPN. One can only wonder what the wild and crazy Jets fans will have to cheer (or jeer) about now that the N.Y. …
2013 NFL Draft Primer
The 78th edition of the National Football League draft will begin on Thursday night, April 25th at 8pm ET. The official description of this event is The NFL Player Selection Meeting. This gathering will take place at the famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City. …
Concussions, lawsuits and the NFL – How did we get here?
By Melissa Harder
Next week will mark a big moment in the ongoing concussion class action lawsuit brought by over 4,000 former players against the National Football League (NFL). Lawyers for the former players will argue the matter belongs in federal court while the NFL will push for the claim to be heard in arbitration. …
