Slow decline for football?
CTE revelations may lead to a decline similar to that of smoking rates
Urschel, who happens to be pursuing a doctorate in mathematics at MIT, retired last week and said the new study was a factor in his decision. Former NFL player Dominique Foxworth, who was also the president of the NFLPA, said he would not let his young son play football. The benefits — lessons about teamwork and work ethic — no longer outweighed the risks, he said. His kid could get those lessons from soccer or basketball, Foxworth said.
That’s the discussion that will continue to evolve about football. Lost somewhat in what we do or don’t know about CTE is that there is very little uncertainty about the links between football and brain trauma. The longer someone plays the former, the greater their exposure to the latter, full stop. The NFL’s own research says about a third of former players will develop dementia or Alzheimer’s, which is double the risk of the normal population.
But, much of this has been known for years, too. Urschel is not the first professional player to retire early to protect his brain, but the Ravens will have no problem filling his roster spot. The CFL has similarly marched on, even though it doesn’t offer nearly the potential wealth nor fame to its players as the league across the border. The allure of a professional career, for a great many players, still remains worth the associated risk.
It’s fair to wonder how long that will last. Fifty years ago, more than 40 per cent of adults in Canada were smokers. That number is close to 15 per cent now. There wasn’t a massive dip or demarcation point, just a steady decline. That could be football’s path. In March of last year, when the NFL acknowledged a link between the sport and CTE, there were headlines that the “Game May Never Be the Same.” It has since remained pretty much the same. But a generation or two from now? That is far less certain.