What started as a game has become an institute. It is loved everywhere in America; people watch it on TV and in stadiums. Sons of mothers and fathers play and even become famous. For a game that has been around for years, it should be safe. Right?
I'm just going to say it: football is not safe. Before you start shaking your head and stop reading, just listen to what I'm about to say.
Football players from all areas are already in danger of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalothy). CTE is found in people who suffer repeated blows to the head or have had a severe blow to the head, this especially affects high school football players. Most of the time it isn't always big, dangerous tactics that cause this, it is usually the same, small maneuver that will (over time) cause CTE. It is estimated that high school football players suffer 11.2 concussions for every 10,000 games and practices, and an average of 20% of individuals have concussion symptoms that could last years. The even sadder part is that many concussions are not reported making the amount of concussions limited and inaccurate. Why are some of the concussions not reported? It is because the players don't want to let down their friends, family, and even people they don't know. People have said that the game and the team are more important than someone's actual health. Let that sink in. People care more about the game and winning rather than an individual's HEALTH.
You would think that the helmets would protect the players as much as possible. Right? Actually, helmets have been an issue. They still allow a player to get a concussion and skull fractures, including helmets that have passed safety standards. In fact, a helmet that passed the safety standards still leave players with a 95% chance of receiving a concussion. It is even said that on average football helmets only reduce brain damage by only 20%.
However, brain injuries and barely functioning helmets are not the only problems with football. The playoffs are unfair and don't truly determine the best football team. The playoffs determine the luckiest football team. Let me explain. If one team has won majority of their games and they play a region game against a team that has not won any games and the losing team wins, then the team that has the majority of the wins will be placed farther down in the ranks for the playoffs. That is not the only bad thing about the playoffs, when a team makes it to the playoffs the top seeded team would then play against the bottom seeded team and the winner of that would then advance. This is unfair to the teams that win their games and then lose one game like I said before. The playoffs are about luck.
In the end, football is a sport that is loved by practically everyone in America. It might not be safe or fair but over time we could possibly change the game of football for the better.
