An English 145-07 Final Project discussing concussions in the NFL. Facts. Stories. Our opinion.

1. CONCUSSIONS ARE AFFECTING THE
GAME OF FOOTBALL.
By: Dominic Fontana & Michael Gooden

2. CONCUSSION:
 A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters
the way your brain functions. Effects are usually
temporary, but can include problems with
headaches, concentration, memory, judgment, bala
nce, and coordination. (Mayo clinic staff, 2011)

3. CAUSES:
 Most of you know that
a concussion can be
caused by any
significant blunt force
trauma to the head
such as a fall, a car
accident, sports injury,
or being struck on the
head with an object.
(WebMD, 2010)
Photo courtesy of Google Images

4. CAUSES CONTINUED:
 However, most people don’t
know that the brain is cushioned
from everyday jolts and bumps
by the cerebrospinal fluid that it
floats in, inside your skull.
 A violent blow to your head and
neck or upper body can cause
your brain to slide back and forth
forcefully against the inner wall
of your skull.
 Sudden acceleration or
deceleration of the head —
resulting from events such as a
car crash or sporting injury—
also can cause brain injury.
 (Mayo clinic staff, 2011)
Photo courtesy of Google Images

5. WHAT PART OF THE BRAIN IS AFFECTED?
 Brain injury causes
lesions that appear and
change over time in the
prefrontal cortex and its
pathways to the other
regions of the brain.
(The Franklin
Institute, 2004)
Photo courtesy of Google Images

6. FUNCTIONS OF THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX
(PFC):
 This vital region of the brain regulates thought in terms
of both short-term and long-term decision making.
 It allows humans to plan ahead and create
strategies, and also to adjust actions or reactions in
changing situations.
 It helps to focus thoughts, which enable people to pay
attention, learn, and concentrate on goals.
 This area is also the part of the brain that allows
humans to consider several different yet related lines of
thinking when learning or evaluating complex concepts
or tasks.
 The PFC also houses active, working memory.
 (Anissimov, 2013)

7. SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: 4 MAIN CATEGORIES:
 Thinking and remembering  Emotional and mood
 Not thinking clearly  Easily upset or angered
 Feeling slowed down  Sad
 Not being able to concentrate  Nervous or anxious
 Not being able to remember  More emotional
new information
 Sleep
 Physical  Sleeping more than usual
 Headache  Sleeping less than usual
 Fuzzy or blurry vision  Having a hard time falling
 Nausea and vomiting asleep
 Dizziness
 Sensitivity to light or noise
 (WebMD, 2010)
 Balance problems
 Feeling tired or having no
energy

8. TREATMENTS:
 A person who might have a concussion needs to
immediately stop any kind of activity or sport.
 Rest is the best way to recover from a concussion.
 Get plenty of sleep at night, and take it easy during
the day.
 Avoid activities that are physically or mentally
demanding
 Such as: exercise, schoolwork, video games, etc.
 Use ice or a cold pack on any swelling for 10 to 20
minutes at a time.
 Use pain medicine as directed.
 (WebMD, 2010)

9. PRESSING ISSUES TODAY:
 Concussions in the NFL  Numerous debates and
have been a hot topic in the interviews have taken place
world of sports. on SportsCenter regarding
 ESPN, The NY the issue of concussions
Times, CNN, etc. have and the effects they have on
covered stories concerning the players.
the concussion problem.
Photo courtesy of Google Images

10. HOW WE ONCE KNEW FOOTBALL:
 Prior to the 2010 NFL  http://www.youtube.com/wat
Controversy, player safety ch?v=Qz6wJ-rcfbA
was not of the upmost  "Guys are thinking about it
importance. much deeper now than they
 Players were allowed to did before,"
deliver head-to-head  ―When we played, we took it
collisions without facing in stride, playing dinged. It
penalties or fines from the was part of the game, but
league. nobody told us at that time
 Players would return to the there might be some
game even when they residual effects. You had to
showed signs of play through it to survive.‖
concussions.  - Harry Carson, NY Giants
Hall of Fame Inside LB
 (Cimini, 2012)

11. CONTROVERSY IN THE NFL:
 In 2010, the NFL  Since then, the league has
acknowledged that introduced:
concussions can lead to  Stricter penalties and
dementia, memory increased fines for illegal head-
loss, CTE, and other related to-head hits
symptoms.  Improved helmets that better
protect athletes
 This resulted from the 4,000  Taken other specific actions to
lawsuits they received from further prevent player head
former NFL players and injuries.
families who are now dealing
with the long term effects of
the concussions they
endured while playing in the
league.
 There are currently 12,000
living former NFL players – so
1/3 of them are suing over
head injuries.
 (Gbajabiamila, 2013)

12. MITCH WHITE’S STORY
 Seven years and one
crushing hit later, he is one
of the 4,000 former NFL
players who are suing the
league over concussions.
 At age 34, White is unable
to work and is sometimes
so debilitated by migraines
that he cannot care for his
two young daughters.
 He takes as many as eight
medications at a time to
ease his headaches, and
smooth his erratic moods Photo courtesy of Google Images
and sleeplessness.
 (Battista, 2012)

13. FORMER PLAYERS SUFFERING:
 The long term effects of  Rodney Harrison is
concussions have: fearful for his life after
 Ended players’ careers his 15 year NFL career
early where he suffered
 Lead to diseases such numerous
as CTE, memory concussions.
loss, degenerative brain  http://sports.yahoo.com
disease, dementia, Alzh /blogs/nfl-shutdown-
eimer’s, etc. corner/rodney-harrison-
 Even resulted in suicide says-scared-death-
career-filled-
concussions-
015416631--nfl.html

14. JUNIOR SEAU STORY:
 In May 2012, former San Diego  ―Just block out this pain. It’s
Charger, Junior Seau took his life taught from coaches from the
by a self-inflicted gunshot wound time you’re in Pop Warner. I’ve
to the chest while in his home. done it myself as a
 His family agreed to have his coach, coaching my kids through
brain studied, to determine high school.‖
whether there could possibly be  ―Junior was obviously very good
a link between the hits to the at it. He’d play through ridiculous
head he absorbed as a football pain that some people wouldn’t
player and his suicide. even get out of bed with to go to
 The findings determined the an office job. Sometimes you
brain of the All-Pro linebacker play a game with those.‖
showed abnormalities associated  - Gary Plummer, former NFL
with CTE and degenerative brain LB, former teammate of Seau
disease.
 (Farmer, 2013)
Photo courtesy of Google Images

15. STRICTER ACTIONS, FINES, AND PENALTIES
 Actions:  Fines:
 The NFL moved the  Each illegal hit is
kickoff from the 30 to the assessed differently.
35 yard line. Depending on the extent
 Since a majority of head of the hit, the NFL
injuries occur during the Commissioner, Roger
kickoff, the amount of Goodell, will further
returns per season will assess the play and
decrease; therefore the assign an appropriate
risk of head injuries will fine.
also decrease.
 Penalties:  Suspensions can also
take place if a player
 When an illegal head-to-
head hit takes place, the repeatedly commits
ref throws a penalty flag illegal hits or if a
for a 15 yard penalty. particular hit is extremely
offensive.

16. IMPROVED HELMETS:
 The helmet has come a long way
since the soft leather helmet of
the 1920’s.
 The modern helmet is hard on
the outside and extremely soft
and padded on the inside and
has even taken advice from the
US Military.
 A couple new ideas have
launched to further develop the
helmet:
 An impact indicator chin strap
that can measure the strength
and duration of a hit that a player
endures and can relay that
information instantly to coaches
and trainers.
 Reebok is designing a skull cap
that can also read the impact of a
hit on a player.
 (NFL.com, 2012)
Photos courtesy of Google Images

17. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PLAYER IS
CONCUSSED IN THE NFL:
1. Initial impact
2. The force from the
impact causes the brain
to strike the inner
surface of the skull and
rebound against the
opposite side.
3. In severe concussions
the brain can twist as it
rebounds.
4. The brain swells and
puts pressure on the
brain stem.
Photo courtesy of Google Images

18. OBVIOUS CAUSES OF CONCUSSIONS IN THE
NFL:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o66mekg-1_Y
 QB Matt Schaub took a brutal head-to-head hit from LB
Joe Mays.
 Mays was fined $50,000 and faced a 1 game
suspension.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXjx0osS-ew
 LB James Harrison delivered a traumatic blow to QB
Colt McCoy.
 Harrison was suspended 1 game for his violent hit.

19. PROBLEMS WITH CONCUSSIONS AND PLAYER
MENTALITY:
 Today it is becoming a bigger  "The bottom line is: You have
problem that players want to to be able to put food on the
return to the field after table. No one's going to sign
suffering a concussion. or want a guy who can't stay
 Players do not want to show healthy. I know there will be a
weakness to their coaches or day when I'm going to have
teammates out of fear of trouble walking. I realize
being replaced and not being that." – Maurice Jones-Drew.
able to provide for
themselves or their families.
 This is a huge problem
because suffering from
another blow to the head can
greatly increase the chance
of further injury and future
illness.
 (Associated Press, 2011)
Photo courtesy of Google Images

20. FUTURE EXPECTATIONS OF THE NFL:
 The battle between the NFL Players
Association and the NFL has been a
constant issue.
 The NFLPA claims that the NFL cares
more about money than players’
safety.
 The NFLPA wants concussion
specialists who have no team
affiliation to stay on the sidelines and
oversee concussion protocols and
treat players.
 In the long run, the NFL is a big
business and they want to protect
their image and keep fans.
 The NFL is concerned about losing
fans due to continuing stricter rules
and regulations that they think may
change the game too drastically.
 (Mortensen, 2012)
Photo courtesy of Google Images

21.  Anissimov, Michael. "What Is the Prefrontal Cortex?" WiseGEEK. N.p., 25 Feb. 2013. Web. 3 Mar.
WORKS CITED FROM PRESENTATION
2013.
 Battista, Judy. "A Player's Concussion, A Family's Ordeal." The New York Times. The New York
Times, 16 Sept. 2012. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.
 Boriboon, Kia. "Concussion Management In Football: Don't Shake It Off." PT In Motion 5.1 (2013): 18-
25. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.
 Cimini, Rich. "In N.Y., Two Sides to NFL concussions." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 17 May 2012.
Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
 Clemmitt, Marcia. "Traumatic Brain Injury. Is an Effective Cure Possible?" CQ Researcher by CQ
Press. CQ Press, 01 June 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.
 "Concussion - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention." WebMD. WebMD, 23 July
2010. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
 Farmer, Sam. "Junior Seau Had Brain Disease When He Committed Suicide." Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
 Gbajabiamila, Akbar. "Concussion Lawsuits against NFL Shouldn't Be for Everyone." NFL.com.
N.p., 12 Feb. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
 Hayes, Ashley, Molly Green, Stephanie Smith, and Justin Lear. "Former NFL Players: League
Concealed Concussion Risks." CNN. Cable News Network, 20 July 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.
 "History of the NFL Football Helmet." NFL.com. N.p., 15 Nov. 2012. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
 Jost, Kenneth. "Is the NFL Doing Enough to Protect Players?" CQ Researcher by CQ Press. CQ
Press, 11 Oct. 2011. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.
 Mortensen, Chris. "NFLPA Wants Concussion experts." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 13 Nov.
2012. Web. 10 Mar. 2013.
 Press, Associated. "Players Still Willing to Hide Head injuries." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 26
Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.
 Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22
Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Mar. 2013.
 Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 22
Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Mar. 2013.
 "The Human Brain - Watch Your Head." The Human Brain - Watch Your Head. The Fanklin Institute
Online, 2004. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
 Tracy, Michelle. "Shake, Rattle, and Roll: The Impact of Undiagnosed Concussions in Pediatrics."
ScienceDirect. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.

22. OUR OPINION:
How Concussions Are Damaging the Great Game
Fines. Suspensions. Penalties. Are all these things hurting the
great game we once knew? As a kid growing up, I was trained to hit the
Quarterback in the mouth. No one was taught to avoid contact in certain
areas pertaining to the head. I remember times after a big collision when
my head was throbbing and the field was spinning around me but I played
through in order to prove myself to my coaches and fellow teammates.
Living through the intensity of high school football taught me to suck it up
and move forward.
Coaches to this day are blunt and willing to do anything to win.
Take into consideration the words of Saints Defensive Coordinator, Gregg
Williams, ―Every single one of you, before you get off the pile, affect the
head… Continue to touch and affect the head. Kill the head and the body
will die‖ (Petchesky, 2012). They do everything in their might; verbally
calling players ―pussies,‖ ―worthless pieces of shit,‖ and ―dumbasses‖ when
they fail to make a hit or play on the ball. Experiencing a traumatic blow to
the head is just one of the few worries on a player’s mind.

23. Players such as Safety Jack Tatum of the Oakland Raiders played
fearlessly; hitting players and punishing whoever dared trespass in his zone.
Frankly, he didn’t give a crap about anything other than knocking the piss out of the
opposing players. He once stated, "I always wanted to hit someone hard, and if they
got hurt, that was part of the game. But you always wanted them to be OK"
(Leibman, 2010). This quote couldn’t be more accurate. Back in the 1970’s Tatum
was nicknamed ―The Assassin‖ for injuring multiple players and even paralyzing Daryl
Stingley. Overall, the game of football is a violent sport—players will get injured (even
though you mentally don’t want them too), but it is part of the game.
Since the 2010 NFL Controversy, the league has implemented stricter
penalties and fines on players who deliver illegal head-to-head hits to help protect
players from head injuries. The kickoff has even been moved closer by five yards in
order to decrease the chance of a return up the field. Enormous athletes running at
each other full speed trying to make a big play is one of the main causes of head
injuries in football, but it is also where momentum of a game can swing and is one of
the more exciting aspects of football. In today’s NFL, we see defensive players taking
less aggressive approaches—passing up hits on the quarterback and receivers in
order to ―please‖ league officials and higher authoritative figures. And when they fail
to do so, are fined thousands of dollars or suspended for multiple games. How does
this help the sport? It simply doesn’t! The only thing it helps is losing revenue. Players
carry multi-million dollar contracts and receive additional millions from endorsements.
All these luxuries are from playing the game of football. They signed up to play a
violent sport and should be aware of the consequences resulting from head-to-head
combat.
We understand that these players can suffer from horrible long term effects
such as degenerative brain disease or CTE due to many concussions they suffer in
their football careers. The thousands of lawsuits the NFL has received from former
players coping with terrible diseases are obvious signs that too many blows to the
head can be a very serious issue. The sleeplessness, erratic moods, depression, and
memory loss are troubling symptoms that these athletes are now suffering through.
Although these players are examples of what can happen from too many
concussions, the game of football should not suffer because of them.

24. In our opinion, the league should continue to invest time and
money into further improving equipment such as helmets, padding, and
mouthpieces to decrease the chances of head injuries. Teaching proper
tackling techniques is another vital thing the NFL should do. Put the time
into teaching these monstrous athletes to not tackle by leading with their
heads. However, as far as penalties and fines are concerned, they have
become strict enough and no further rules should be implemented. Players
such as Chad Ochocinco and Maurice Jones-Drew agree with the
statements above. In a 2011 Preseason game, Mason Foster delivered a
brutal head-on-hit to Chad Ochocinco. NFL commissioner, Roger
Goodell, fined the Rookie linebacker $20,000 for his illegal tackle.
Ironically, Ochocinco reimbursed Foster the $20,000 and stated that
Foster’s hit was part of the game and plays like that simply happen
(Klopman, 2011). When Maurice Jones-Drew was asked about
concussions he replied by saying ―The bottom line is: No one’s going to sign
or want a guy who can’t stay healthy. I know there will be a day when I am
going to have trouble walking. I realize that‖ (Associated Press, 2011).
These quotes and actions above validate our argument. If you take away
what makes the sport special it will take away interest from the sport. Fans
will walk away from the game if there is no game left. If we can’t see what
we want to see we will find something else to watch.

25. Klopman, Michael. "Chad Ochocinco Tells Roger Goodell He Will
WORKS CITED FROM EDITORIAL

Reimburse Mason Foster's Fine." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 Aug. 2011. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
 Leibman, Glen. "Five Quotes By and About Jack Tatum."
SPORTS QUOTATION MAN: FOR YOUR DAILY DOSE OF
SPORTS QUOTES: Five Quotes By and About Jack Tatum. N.p.,
27 July 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
 "NFL Getting Too Soft!!" HubPages. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
 Petchesky, Barry. ""Kill The Fucking Head": Gregg Williams Told
The Saints To Destroy The 49ers' Brains." Deadspin. N.p., 05 Apr.
2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2013.
 Press, Associated. "Players Still Willing to Hide Head injuries."
ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 26 Dec. 2011. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.