Pittsburg Steelers Team Neurosurgeon Says.........

[Harry Doyle]

NFL doctor: "Riding a bike, or skateboarding is much more dangerous than playing youth football"

[Cats3x]

He's right. Stop this witch hunt.

[Harry Doyle]

I feel the same way Cats. It's one thing to educate (which, I'm ALL for). It's another to put crap out there over and over and over, to make people go into 'freak out mode'.

[FootballBobcat]

After reading this article earlier and the responses to the recent retirements of the likes of Chris Borland from ex NFL players, coaches, and college players like Todd Gurley, it only reinforces my belief that there is too much misinformation about football out there. First off youth football is safe. I have coached it for years and the only real concussion I dealt with was when a kid did not even get hit hard on the head, but was knocked down and his head whipped back against some very hard ground. The kids, for the very vast majority, don't have the size or speed to hit THAT hard. Plus coaching over the years, and most recent years, is getting better with education. As a player gets older the risk does increase. But so does the rest of life (like driving, etc). And as for making it a career, how does this compare with being a police officer, joining the military, firefighter, etc. And dropping out to do something else to me is no different than some people I have seen walk away from highly successful careers because the stress was taking a toll on their health. If these NFL players make that decision God bless them and hope they go on to do what they want to do with their lives. It is not a reflection in my mind about the game as a whole. Let kids play and I hope the media doesn't screw up the best game in America!!

[coach1980]

I agree .

[Dark Horse78]

I have said it before, its not the head to head contact that causes a MAJORITY of concussions. Its head to ground...ANYTHING that causes your head to hit an immovable object will be your highest probability for a concussion. Heck, trampolines cause way more injuries than football!! Football just gets the pub because its the only real gladiator sport left, and it the most popular. My son plays, he's 7...my concern was NEVER head to head, heck, the neck was designed to help provide the movement to soften a blow and keep the brain from slamming into the skull. My concern has always been if he makes direct contact with the ground...in anything!

[GreatLakes]

This is from an "NFL" Neurosurgeon...

[Rambo4343]

ESPN=Death to football.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

I promote "Core" strengthening when coaching in the FTJFL. We work on a couple of "Core" exercises early in the season to help lesson the impact of head to ground situations. Does it prevent it? Nope, but kids that are in the 7th & 8th grade have never been taught about "Core" strengthening and once they start to build it, it will help make them be a safer Football player.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

I have said it before, its not the head to head contact that causes a MAJORITY of concussions. Its head to ground...ANYTHING that causes your head to hit an immovable object will be your highest probability for a concussion. Heck, trampolines cause way more injuries than football!! Football just gets the pub because its the only real gladiator sport left, and it the most popular. My son plays, he's 7...my concern was NEVER head to head, heck, the neck was designed to help provide the movement to soften a blow and keep the brain from slamming into the skull. My concern has always been if he makes direct contact with the ground...in anything!

 

Agree 100% with you. You rarely see a head to head concussion in Youth football. If you see it more often than not, then back to the basics with form tackling. Having Merril Hoge coach in the FTJFL, he has helped us adopt the "Headsup" program with USA Football. What a lot of people don't know is that the late Chuck Knoll introduced the "Headsup" program back in the late 60's and early 70's and it just never stuck. Chuck Knoll was one of the best innovators of his era!

[plantmanky]

A helmet does not stop the brain from crashing into the inner walls of the skull.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

A helmet does not stop the brain from crashing into the inner walls of the skull.

 

Which goes for any type of Helmet!