Football Injuries in NFL, College and Beyond
As the National Football League playoffs are in full swing with the Big Game right around the corner, we can often be reminded of how dangerous America’s most popular sport is while watching the weekly matchups. It is hard to not shudder as a viewer when seeing the hits and tackles on replay. According to a National Health Interview Survey included in a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 712,000 football-related injuries were reported from 2011-2014. This prompts the question, is football too dangerous? And, is anything being done to help make the sport safer?
Every year, the NFL reports their injury data. According to the NFL, there were 214 recorded concussions in the preseason and regular season combined in 2018. This is the second-lowest number of recorded concussions since 2012 behind the 209 concussions from 2014. However, there has been less of a downward trend in the number of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears.
Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill tore his ACL in week 17 of the regular season…right before the playoffs. Edge rusher Ronald Blair of the San Francisco 49ers tore his ACL in week 10 which also put him out for the season. These are merely two of the multitude of ACL injuries that happen all the time in the NFL. Now think about all of the other injuries that are so frequently sustained in the NFL. But what about the statistics for college, high school, and youth players?
The National Health Interview Survey reported that 375,000 of the sports injuries recorded from players aged 5-14 were caused by football, which is 11.8 percent of the total sports injuries recorded in that age group. In the 18-24 age group, there were 243,000 football-related injuries.
The NFL is working to improve the health and safety of players at all levels The NFL Way to Play Initiative is trying to make a difference at the start of players’ careers by demonstrating proper techniques to avoid injury and offering playbooks and advice for coaches. Way to Play shares demonstration videos that show NFL players executing perfect and safe techniques. The NFL is even recognizing proper tackling techniques of high school players and offering the recipient a $1,500 equipment grant through USA Football and partnership with Hudl, a performance/video review tool.
The Chicago Bears are well represented in the NFL Way to Play videos that demonstrate a perfect technique. One of the videos that is used to demonstrate a perfect tackle is that of Chicago Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack. Another video about how to use hands, instead of your head on the defensive line is demonstrated by Bears defensive tackle Akiem Hicks. The videos highlight the safety benefits of their proper technique, in addition to their effectiveness in games.
New NFL rules are being enacted as an effort to make the game safer for players. For example, beginning in the 2019 season, wedge blocking, and blindside blocks were banned. According to the NFL, blind slide blocks were the cause of one-third of all concussions that occurred during punt returns.
New regulations and initiatives like the NFL Way to Play are just the beginning of a long road that will need to be taken to improve the safety of players of all ages. Preventing injuries, teaching safety techniques and knowing how to spot an injury right away is important in football and in all aspects of life.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the fault of others, contact us today for a free initial consultation and complete analysis of the circumstances. Our attorneys are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (even on the evening of the Big Game).
