Football has always been a staple in American homes- if your childhood was anything like mine, Sunday evenings were unusual without the tune of the NFL theme song, and every year I would don the jersey of some team I didn’t care about to half-heartedly cheer along to the Super Bowl.

But my family aren't the only ones watching- every year, the Super Bowl is expected to be watched by the bulk of American households, gathering hundreds of millions of viewers.

In fact, CNN reports this year that 103.4 million people tuned in to watch the Eagles bring home their first Super Bowl win in 2018, which makes it the tenth-most watched program in television history.

Which sounds great, right? These statistics are less than impressive, however, as the 103.4 million people who watched the 2018 Super Bowl is actually 7 percent less than the 111.3 million people who tuned in last year. And that makes the game the least-watched Super Bowl since 2009.

But ratings alone aren’t the only cause of the sport’s demise. The real death sentence is more scientific.

In a study of former football players' brains, 110 out of 111 brains showed signs of CTE, which is a progressively degenerative brain disease. They also found the disease was increasingly severe in longtime players.

CTE was first thought to be caused by repeated concussions, but a new neurology study implies the opposite- it’s actually the repeated substantial hits to the head that aren't responsible for concussions, that really cause the disease. Knowing this, the hits a football player takes in an average game seem all the more dangerous.

Unsurprisingly, people are paying attention to these new findings: a poll by NBC News/Wall Street Journal reported figures that showed 48 percent of all Americans and 46 percent of all parents say they would encourage children to play a sport other than football.

Figures additionally included that 53 percent of mothers and 39 percent of fathers said they would steer their child away from football to specifically avoid concussions. The poll also reported the percentage of Americans who think the NFL has taken action to reduce concussions dropped eight points since 2014, from 41 to 33.

This could potentially lead to a future where fewer people are introduced to the sport- the professional level will stop being able to maintain itself, and there could be an overall decline in interest.

As serious health concerns continue to rise and ratings drop, the future of football is uncertain. So, enjoy that Sunday night football game while you still can, as the eventual death of America's beloved sport could be near.