It is no secret that football is the sport where concussions are the most common. In fact, around 300,000 footballers get concussions a year, according to the University of Pittsburgh. Now, a retired NFL athlete is working on improving public knowledge about the risk of concussions in football.
Luke Kuechly is a former NFL player who retired at 28 years old. He is now a football coach for a team of 10-year-old players. “I think everybody in the N.F.L. understands that it’s a violent game,” he said in an interview with the New York Times.
Because the NFL understands that football puts athletes at risk of concussions they take many safety precautions. After a player suffers a head injury, there is a very strict return-to-play policy. The player is to be taken off the field immediately and examined in a medical tent to assess the injury. After the examination, the player can only return to the game after a five-step examination by a doctor.
NFL players also all understand that concussions are different from other types of injuries. Kuechly says that players who get concussions are told to rest until they are fully recovered, and not to tough it out like a sprained ankle.
Parents are also reasonably worried that their kids who play football are in danger of concussions.
“Hey, you do what you think is best for your child. You’re their parent. You ultimately know what’s best for them,” Kuechly said. “I just talk about the positives, whether it’s what I’ve learned about toughness, how to fight through things, how to build relationships, the people that I’ve met through the game, the experiences I’ve had with the game.”
When Kuechly was asked about a study that showed that taking many hits over the course of a football career affects cognitive health, he said that he was not worried about it. “Since I’ve got done playing, I’ve read a lot. I’ve done a lot of homework. I’ve talked to a lot of people. I’m not worried about it, but I’m very aware.”
Luke Kuechly is a former NFL player who retired at 28 years old. He is now a football coach for a team of 10-year-old players. “I think everybody in the N.F.L. understands that it’s a violent game,” he said in an interview with the New York Times.
Because the NFL understands that football puts athletes at risk of concussions they take many safety precautions. After a player suffers a head injury, there is a very strict return-to-play policy. The player is to be taken off the field immediately and examined in a medical tent to assess the injury. After the examination, the player can only return to the game after a five-step examination by a doctor.
NFL players also all understand that concussions are different from other types of injuries. Kuechly says that players who get concussions are told to rest until they are fully recovered, and not to tough it out like a sprained ankle.
Parents are also reasonably worried that their kids who play football are in danger of concussions.
“Hey, you do what you think is best for your child. You’re their parent. You ultimately know what’s best for them,” Kuechly said. “I just talk about the positives, whether it’s what I’ve learned about toughness, how to fight through things, how to build relationships, the people that I’ve met through the game, the experiences I’ve had with the game.”
When Kuechly was asked about a study that showed that taking many hits over the course of a football career affects cognitive health, he said that he was not worried about it. “Since I’ve got done playing, I’ve read a lot. I’ve done a lot of homework. I’ve talked to a lot of people. I’m not worried about it, but I’m very aware.”
