Tony Dorsett - "I signed up for this when, I guess, I started playing football"

I played and took as well as delievered some shots and never was concussed. I played thru high school only though. The only sports related concussion I ever received was from being hit by a high heater in college. Concussions will always be a risk in a violent sport but being taught proper technique goes a long way toward minimizing the risk.

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Yes it's very sad, but the players suing and saying they didn't know is horseshite.

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Pretty much sums it up.

NFL players get paid good money for the high risks the job has. They knew what they signed up for when they signed their name on the dotted line.

As far as College and HS, it's a voluntary activity that is not needed as part of their curriculum. As long as the schools are doing their due diligence in keeping their equipment updated and coaching how to hit properly, they shouldn't be blamed and sued.

I've done my share of complaining about rule changes over the years that take many of the more overtly violent aspects of the game out of play, but stories like his always put into stark relief for me just how necessary the proliferation of safeguards is. No matter how much I love the game, that doesn't mean I love it to the point where I don't care about players who suffer in the aftermath of long careers.

That said, I think there's also something to be said for choosing to play a game with inherent risks. It's up to CFB/NFL to mitigate those risks, but just like anyone who gravitates toward a hazardous profession, there's something to be said for knowing what you're getting into from jump street.

I think part of the problem has been in trying to "play through" a concussion, when players and/or coaches have tried to hide the fact that a player has one. Another has been in coming back too soon after a concussion. Getting a second one on top of one that hasn't fully healed is apparently pretty bad voodoo. Hopefully both of these are becoming less and less common.

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But when you look at the numbers and lists of players who are currently struggling with head injuries in their post-playing lives (e.g., Shane Dronett, Junior Seau, countless others) ... it's troubling.

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my struggle with any of those guys is that they didn't mind taking the millions along the way. football is the most violent sport (you could argue rugby because of no pads, but the collisions aren't nearly as brutal) and everybody knew that getting in.

they want their cake and to eat it too.

I would encourage my children to play other sports(golf, basketball, tennis). If Mike fricking Ditka feels that way too, well, it's good enough for me to feel confident guiding my kids away from playing football.

Enjoy the next 20 years of American football. It's the glory years. I'm not saying it won't exist in 50 years, but I don't think it will exist in its current form.

My prediction is that many colleges(over half) will stop playing. It will hurt the other sports most. There will just be the 60 or so powerful schools(including A&M) playing on the highest stage(for money and well paid players). Most colleges will stop playing because most high schools will stop offering football. The talent pool will dry up. Everywhere outside of the southeast and texas is taking this more seriously.

As far as NFL. In the words of Mark Cuban, "pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered. The NFL is a hog." The whole Thursday night thing and wanting to dominate everything is really off putting. More lawsuits will come. We're already starting to see things in the NFL change. If Joe Montana and Jerry Rice played in 2015, they'd have 80 TD's a year with the way the rules are tilted. It's all about the offense and QB and fantasy football. Every year it moves closer to touch football.

As far as sports in general. I look for basketball and soccer to rise in popularity. Baseball has such an old audience. It's always going to be relevant since its Americas pastime, but the popularity has been shrinking for decades. In the 1920's the biggest sports were Baseball, Boxing, horse racing, college football. Things change over time and popularity rises and falls

Soccer may grow in popularity, but it will never be on the same level as the other big 4 are in this country. I dont have anything against soccer but it is what it is

The number of names on this list (bottom of the page) is staggering.
link

I can't imagine that anyone--no matter how much money he earns--ever walks into the situation (i.e., taking countless hits), fully understanding the risk.
At least not to this point.
I think it's changing, though.

Rugby players haven't seen this problem.
They hit differently.
And they don't wear helmets, so obviously they can't use 'em as weapons/battering rams.
Then again, few rugby guys have played for the duration and level at which football players have.
But it makes you wonder if football eventually moves more towards that style of sport?

Football is, unequivocally, my favorite sport to watch.
I'm not arguing against it in any way--risk is inherent in most of life's most enjoyable activities.
But when I think about my boys knowingly walking into countless head hits, with the game being so different now than it was decades ago ... it's tough to reconcile.

Go back to leather helmets.

Yep and any parent who has a child that wants to play football needs to go watch practice and make sure the kids are being taught proper technique when it comes to tackling.