Concussions in the NFL

Concussions are a fast becoming a deadly problem for NFL players. Or it was always a problem and we are just now discovering how big of a problem. Recently Andre Waters, a former NFL player committed suicide. Now Doctors are saying his suicide was a result of brain damage caused by repeated concussions. More on Waters in a bit.

A concussion is a brain injury. This is caused when a blow to the head results in the brain actually moving around in the skull. According to About.com sports medicine writer Elizabeth Quinn. She also states that this causes all the brain cells to fire like a seizure. Often bleeding in the brain occurs and brain activity can be similar to that of a coma victim.

I remember a concussion incident I witnessed in a high school football game in 1987. Our running back, got a shot to the head. He was helped from the field and came towards me on the sidelines. I told him to go sit on the bench as he was staggering around. His response was a blank look and asking "Where is the bench" which he was standing in front of. I actually almost thought it was funny. We called it "Getting your bell rung" I think he actually went back into the game at some point. Back then I thought once you got over the initial injury then all was fine.

In 2000-2001 Dr. Julian Bailes the head of the department of Neurosurgery at The University of West Virginia did a study on NFL concussions. Partnered with the NFL Player's Association and the Study of Retired Athletes at the University of North Carolina. Of almost 2500 retired NFL players from ages 24 to 95 were studied. 61 percent reported that they had, had at least one concussion. 16 percent of those said there were long lasting effects of the injuries.

When I heard that Andre Waters had committed suicide, I thought oh another player who couldn't adjust to real life after football. I was very wrong and now am ashamed of myself.

Andre Waters played 12 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals. He was known as "Dirty" Waters due to being a cheap shot artist who tried to or did injure many players. A lot of this was accomplished by spearing or hitting with the helmet

Waters shot himself to death in November of 2006. The AP wire released a story that I saw on Iwon.com. Bennett Omalu a forensic pathologist at the University of Pittsburg studied Water's brain tissue. He said that Water's brain tissue resembled that of an 85 year old man. There were also signs of early stage Alzheimer's. He also said that trauma was a significant factor in the brain damage.

Waters family said he had been showing signs of depression. Omalu said that was caused by the injuries. Also that if Waters had lived he would have been completely incapacitated in 10 years.

Omalu also studied brain tissue of two Pittsburg Steelers who had suffered many concussions. Mike Webster suffered brain damage from concussions and ended up homeless before dieing of heart failure in 2002. Also of Terry Long who committed suicide in 2002.

Dr. Mickey Collins, Director of The University of Pittsburg Medical Center's Sports Medicine Concussion Center says this. 6 to 8 High School Football players die each year from "Second Impact Syndrome"

Several well known NFL football players retired early due to concussions. Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and Merril Hodge. Hodge won a lawsuit against the Chicago Bears after his career. He claimed the team didn't warn him of the danger of playing too soon after a concussion. He played after having one, got another one and didn't play again. He said he got lost for 3 years in places he had known all his life. He could not concentrate on things and had to teach himself to read again!

There are things being done now. These days teams and players know a concussion is nothing to mess with. You don't see players going right back into a game after suffering one. Trent Green of the Kansas City Chiefs recently missed several weeks to recover from one.

Also the tests to determine brain damage are better now. And they are used. There are some special helmets being used, they have a type of shell over the crown of the helmet. I saw one of these on a San Francisco 49er's player several years ago. Also there are now special mouth pieces which lesson the chance of a concussion. The chin is often left unprotected; these special mouth pieces cover the chin.

However Concussions in the NFL will always be a problem. The game is being played by bigger, stronger, faster players. The faster a player makes a hit, the more energy that impacts the player he hits.