CNN Article on Pro Football and Brain Damage (1 Viewer)

[Matt Waldman]

This is a brain...this is a brain after pro football

Does anyone remember an ESPN story years ago about a helmet manufacturer from the 70s who made helmet with the padding in little soccer ball looking patterns on the outside rather than a hard shell? I remember the report stating his prototype was tested and would greatly reduce concussions beyond what is currently seen as cutting edge.

I don't care how great the game of football is, they need to use a better helmet if the technology is there to create one.

 

[CrossEyed]

I don't care how much money these guys make, I would never want to do what they do for a living. Too many of them leave the game and live the rest of their lives in severe pain. It just isn't worth it.

 

[jonessed]

Whenever this stuff comes out the NFL just seems to gloss over it. Hopefully as more physical evidence comes out the NFL will be forced to actually do something about players that suffer concussion after concussion after concussion.

 

[Mark Wimer]

This is a brain...this is a brain after pro football

Does anyone remember an ESPN story years ago about a helmet manufacturer from the 70s who made helmet with the padding in little soccer ball looking patterns on the outside rather than a hard shell? I remember the report stating his prototype was tested and would greatly reduce concussions beyond what is currently seen as cutting edge.

I don't care how great the game of football is, they need to use a better helmet if the technology is there to create one.

Riddell has a NFL-approved model (the Revolution) for use in the league that they claim reduces the incidence of concussions by 33% - Fred Taylor started wearing one earlier this year after his umpteenth concussion: LINK

There was no connection, but in the same week that Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor revealed that he was let back into the game Sunday against the Denver Broncos with a concussion, players around the league were given handouts to remind them of the league's new concussion management program.

Enacted for the '07 season, the program included a provision in which players could "blow the whistle" when they feel pressured to return after suffering concussions.

Taylor said he also suffered a slight concussion against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 21.

The Jaguars have finally convinced Taylor to wear Riddell's new Revolution helmet, which is designed to prevent concussions.

"The bucket?" Taylor said. "They had been trying to get me to wear that. But I'm fighting it, like, 'Man, I'm gonna be all right. I don't want to wear that.' "

After the second concussion, Taylor relented.

"I don't want to be scrambled eggs, trust me. I can't be scrambled eggs," Taylor said. "I've got people depending on me. I don't want to be cabbage-head playing with my kids. I want to be able to enjoy my kids and life after football."

As I have stated on the "Audible", it is my belief that the NFL should require the "Revolution" helmet for all players as a first step to addressing the concerns that Matt's linked story references. My .02.

 

[The Jerk]

As I have stated on the "Audible", it is my belief that the NFL should require the "Revolution" helmet for all players as a first step to addressing the concerns that Matt's linked story references.

I would think that this could be best accomplished by starting with the incoming rookie class and give veteran players the option to use their current helmet. They could be grandfathered like the NHL did with helmet-less players. I think it would be even better if veterans were given a year or two maximum to make the switch. At least if they start with the rookies it will help the future players and should get the attention of the veterans.

 

[Matt Waldman]

I"m not big into mandatory things in life, but when it comes to safety I make the exception. I wouldn't even give players an option. I don't care if it looks stupid, feels different, or what excuse a player has why they shouldn't wear a helmet that is safer....people don't think long-term, especially when they are in a career where "long-term" is 2-3 years.

Mark, thanks for the link and info. I know that the helmet I was talking about was actually quite different than anything we've seen a football player wear. It literally looked like the helmet was turned inside out.

 

[Doug B]

Does anyone remember that 49ers O-lineman who wore a double-shelled helmet in the late 90s? Can't remember the name of that guy.

 

[Doug B]

The Jaguars have finally convinced Taylor to wear Riddell's new Revolution helmet, which is designed to prevent concussions.

"The bucket?" Taylor said. "They had been trying to get me to wear that. But I'm fighting it, like, 'Man, I'm gonna be all right. I don't want to wear that.' "

After the second concussion, Taylor relented.

"I don't want to be scrambled eggs, trust me. I can't be scrambled eggs," Taylor said. "I've got people depending on me. I don't want to be cabbage-head playing with my kids. I want to be able to enjoy my kids and life after football."

Why would NFL players fight wearing the Revolution helmet? It doesn't look all that different from an old-style helmet?

 

[Nemesis]

This is just an example of how far behind the NFL is in helmet safety: This offseason, the NFL will just now DISCUSS the possibility of the refs wearing SOME kind of head gear.............

I'm really surprised we haven't seen a ref decide to do it on his own before now.

 

[Wilbur Wood]

The Jaguars have finally convinced Taylor to wear Riddell's new Revolution helmet, which is designed to prevent concussions.

"The bucket?" Taylor said. "They had been trying to get me to wear that. But I'm fighting it, like, 'Man, I'm gonna be all right. I don't want to wear that.' "

After the second concussion, Taylor relented.

"I don't want to be scrambled eggs, trust me. I can't be scrambled eggs," Taylor said. "I've got people depending on me. I don't want to be cabbage-head playing with my kids. I want to be able to enjoy my kids and life after football."

Why would NFL players fight wearing the Revolution helmet? It doesn't look all that different from an old-style helmet?

My kids had me buy them Revolution helmets 3 or 4 years ago, playing youth football when they were in like 7th grade. I had assumed that it was standard issuance at the college/NFL levels of play.

 

[puckalicious]

This is just an example of how far behind the NFL is in helmet safety: This offseason, the NFL will just now DISCUSS the possibility of the refs wearing SOME kind of head gear.............

I'm really surprised we haven't seen a ref decide to do it on his own before now.

How many ref head injuries have occured over the last decade? Seriously, I don't know. Not that that is a valid excuse, certainly if they want to wear them then they should be allowed.In regards to the Fred Taylor story, I don't know if it's arrogance, or a macho thing or what. If you know you can better protect your body (and life) with a simple hardware change why would you be against it? Same thing with Earnhardt and the HANS device - safety gear proven to limit fatal neck injury in a crash that he refused to wear. Guess what he died of - a fatal neck injury due to a crash. Idiots. Same thing with helmet-less motorcycle riders and people that don't wear seatbelts. All idiots.

FWIW, there have also been studies with mouth guard designs that can reduce concussions. Link.

 

[brewer]

Does anyone remember that 49ers O-lineman who wore a double-shelled helmet in the late 90s? Can't remember the name of that guy.

I can picture him, but can't remember his name. The first one that came to my mind was Mark Kelso of the Bills. He had a similar thing called a pro cap which fit over the helmet. I never understood why more players wouldn't do this.

 

[The Jerk]

Does anyone remember that 49ers O-lineman who wore a double-shelled helmet in the late 90s? Can't remember the name of that guy.

I can picture him, but can't remember his name. The first one that came to my mind was Mark Kelso of the Bills. He had a similar thing called a pro cap which fit over the helmet. I never understood why more players wouldn't do this.

I wanted to say Ray Wallace, but I believe the 49er in question is Steve Wallace.A Good Reason to Be Big-Headed

San Francisco’s Steve Wallace and Indianapolis’ Randy Dixon, both offensive linemen, also played with ProCaps. No one currently playing in the league wears one.

Straus and Kelso are hoping to change that. After years of research and development, they are in the final stages of devising a helmet they say will greatly reduce concussions.

The new helmet – working name: the Gladiator – is only fractionally larger than a traditional helmet and looks far sleeker, with a streamlined face mask and no exterior hardware such as metal snaps.

The biggest difference is the feel of the surface. The hard layer of the Gladiator is covered with a softer material that has some give.

 

[puckalicious]

More info on the Gladiator helmet (with picture).

 

[Boone22]

WHile they are at it, they should make face shield mandatory as well. How many players get poked in the eye, either by accident or on purpose in a single season?

 

[Matt Waldman]

More info on the Gladiator helmet (with picture).

Thanks

 

[analog_hiss]

Here's something from a couple of years ago. A lot of yinzers will remember Justin Strzelczyk.

Lineman, Dead at 36, Exposes Brain Injuries

 

[brewer]

Here's something from a couple of years ago. A lot of yinzers will remember Justin Strzelczyk.

Lineman, Dead at 36, Exposes Brain Injuries

Affectionately known as the Animal. RIP Justin.

 

[dunfee555]

I'm an equipment manager for a college football team and the reason everyone doesn't wear the same style helmet is simply that everyone's head is shaped differently. Not all head shapes can fit the same style helmet. Some heads are long and skinny, while others are round and fat and each needs a different style of helmet. The first thing we do when a new player comes in is measure their head and have them try on a few different style helmets to find the one with the best fit. If a helmet doesn't fit properly, nothing else matters. And while there are some players who resist wearing a certain style helmet due to how they look, most players understand the need for safety now and will wear what we tell them is best for them.

While the Revolution is a very good helmet, Schutt's ION 4D has also had very good test results in reducing the impact on the head. And there is actually a newer helmet on the market called the Xenith that was designed by a former Harvard QB that is a really innovative design. The links below give a good review of what the helmet's innovative features are. The testing on that helmet had been exceptional so far. And with the bonnet design and when they come out with their full size run this fall, this helmet will theoretically be able to fit all shapes and sizes of players heads and provide superior protection.

Xenith

Xenith 2

Xenith vs. Ridell vs. Schutt

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

At the time, I remember wondering why Robert Smith of the Vikings would just walk away from the game when he was young and pretty healthy. As I get older I admire his decision more and more.

When you get to the NFL level, each helmet should be custom-made for that person to protect them as well as possible. No excuses and no exceptions; not even bloated preseason rosters. The NFL makes enough billions. They can afford the expense.

 

[The Jerk]

Hope that didnt bore anyone too much.

On the contrary, I found that very interesting. Of coure, I'm a bioengineer. Was there any more information concerning the impact of creatine on Alzheimer's/dementia?

 

[Koya]

A couple thoughts..

First, at least there is FINALLY a recognition of how serious brain injury is. It was not long ago - 10 years at most - where a concussion was just part of the game. Get the cobwebs out and get back on the field. This extends far beyond the NFL - the NFL just happens to have the confluence of guys playing twice as long as say a high school and college player only, along with even more vicious hits at the NFL level. The real start of the concussion train is in high school. I hardly went to a football powerhouse, but I once got the snot hit out of me so hard that aside from not remembering hitting the ground (my teamates told me how I basically spun in the air before doing so)... when I got up, I started jogging to the wrong sideline until my teammates corrected my course.

What happened then? Coach yells... "Koya, you ready? get back in..." - this was very, very typical of the mentality not that long ago.

When you take that mentality and then have players going through high school, a D1 program and THEN the NFL, the damage incurred can be tremendous. It's not as if concussions start at age 24 when we watch it on national TV.

Second thought, which I have said before on this site. The MOST DANGEROUS aspect to football, imo, is the helmet itself. You have a 15lb metal weight at the top of your head with a hard shell. I can tell you, nothing hurt more than a cold day and a helmet hitting your forearm bone... thing was hard and had a ton of momentum behind it. When you went helmet to helmet? Just too many G's for a brain to handle.

The problem is that when you go to tackle with a helmet, there is NO natural incentive to do anything but hit as hard as you can, giving up your body. If you don't have the helmet for example, the hits would simply not be as brutal because a tackler would be out of a career pretty quick. Now, obviously you need helmets, but there is a simple solution: Soft covered helmets.

In this age of plastics etc, you are telling me that they could not have a soft shell helmet that in the end reduces many injuries? Head injury, head to heaad injury, even helmet to a knee or forearm as the shell would not be hard as a rock.

Maybe this will serve as a wake up call that current NFL helmets are far behind the technology curve for what they need to do - and extend that back through high school. At least there is more awareness of the seriousness of this issue - at all levels. Because again, this doesnt start in the NFL, it starts in HS, or even sooner.

 

[Franknbeans]

bring back leather helmets

 

[Mark Wimer]

This is just an example of how far behind the NFL is in helmet safety: This offseason, the NFL will just now DISCUSS the possibility of the refs wearing SOME kind of head gear.............

I'm really surprised we haven't seen a ref decide to do it on his own before now.

How many ref head injuries have occured over the last decade? Seriously, I don't know. Not that that is a valid excuse, certainly if they want to wear them then they should be allowed.In regards to the Fred Taylor story, I don't know if it's arrogance, or a macho thing or what. If you know you can better protect your body (and life) with a simple hardware change why would you be against it? Same thing with Earnhardt and the HANS device - safety gear proven to limit fatal neck injury in a crash that he refused to wear. Guess what he died of - a fatal neck injury due to a crash. Idiots. Same thing with helmet-less motorcycle riders and people that don't wear seatbelts. All idiots.

FWIW, there have also been studies with mouth guard designs that can reduce concussions. Link.

Yup, another area where a simple change in gear would decrease the "concussibility" of players.

 

[Mark Wimer]

I"m not big into mandatory things in life, but when it comes to safety I make the exception. I wouldn't even give players an option. I don't care if it looks stupid, feels different, or what excuse a player has why they shouldn't wear a helmet that is safer....people don't think long-term, especially when they are in a career where "long-term" is 2-3 years.

Mark, thanks for the link and info. I know that the helmet I was talking about was actually quite different than anything we've seen a football player wear. It literally looked like the helmet was turned inside out.

I'm with you on the safety front - if a helmet design is proven to reduce concussions, then why not make it mandatory equipment? No piece of equipment can protect 100% of the time (as my dad taught me about birth control, there is no 99% effective method - it's either 100% or 0% effective taken event-by-event) but surely a 30% decrease in concussion instances is in the players' (and therefore the league's) best interests....

 

[Mark Wimer]

I'm an equipment manager for a college football team and the reason everyone doesn't wear the same style helmet is simply that everyone's head is shaped differently. Not all head shapes can fit the same style helmet. Some heads are long and skinny, while others are round and fat and each needs a different style of helmet. The first thing we do when a new player comes in is measure their head and have them try on a few different style helmets to find the one with the best fit. If a helmet doesn't fit properly, nothing else matters. And while there are some players who resist wearing a certain style helmet due to how they look, most players understand the need for safety now and will wear what we tell them is best for them.

While the Revolution is a very good helmet, Schutt's ION 4D has also had very good test results in reducing the impact on the head. And there is actually a newer helmet on the market called the Xenith that was designed by a former Harvard QB that is a really innovative design. The links below give a good review of what the helmet's innovative features are. The testing on that helmet had been exceptional so far. And with the bonnet design and when they come out with their full size run this fall, this helmet will theoretically be able to fit all shapes and sizes of players heads and provide superior protection.

Xenith

Xenith 2

Xenith vs. Ridell vs. Schutt

Thanks for the links!

 

[Crusaderfan]

Our son's Div - IAA career ended in his junior year because of concussions. After his last one, he ended up in the hospital for 3 days and had seizures for almost a year afterward. Better helmets at the pro level is great but most of the guys that reach that level have been getting concussions since high school and sometimes earlier than that.

My son still has both his high school and college helmets and the difference in quality in those two helmets is amazing. I can only imagine how good a current pro helmet must be. BUT if a guys head is already pretty messed up by the time he wears a pro helmet, it's not going to take too much to have another concussion regardless.

When I read about "soft" helmets all I can think about is will we increase neck injuries while attempting to prevent head injuries? Many times smooth helmets will allow for a more glancing blow because they are slick. To me, it seems like a collision between two players wearing soft helmets would take away this ability to slip an indirect hit. Seems that the helmets would tend to stick together more often. Just a thought - I'm very uneducated about soft helmets :(

No matter how we wrap it - the human head is not designed to ram into something that could weigh over 300lbs and travels at the speed these very big, very fast athletes move.

 

[brewer]

bring back leather helmets

I know that this was a joke, but there is some truth to this. People were much less likely to lead with their noggin, when it wasn't protected by a heavy helmet.In this vein... in addition to the better helmets however, proper tackling techniques and such would lead to less of this type of contact.

 

[Adebisi]

From The Onion today: "Perhaps they should sign a waiver indicating they are willing to take the risk in exchange for, say, tens of millions of dollars."

And it's true. These guys know what they're signing up for. No one is forcing them to play football.

 

[Koya]

From The Onion today: "Perhaps they should sign a waiver indicating they are willing to take the risk in exchange for, say, tens of millions of dollars."And it's true. These guys know what they're signing up for. No one is forcing them to play football.

HUH? No one claims they are being forced. Are you suggesting that because this is voluntary the league nor anyone else should call out the dangers and look for a safer solution?

 

[Ron_Mexico]

This is a brain...this is a brain after pro football

Does anyone remember an ESPN story years ago about a helmet manufacturer from the 70s who made helmet with the padding in little soccer ball looking patterns on the outside rather than a hard shell? I remember the report stating his prototype was tested and would greatly reduce concussions beyond what is currently seen as cutting edge.

I don't care how great the game of football is, they need to use a better helmet if the technology is there to create one.

This is the perfect alibi for Orenthal "The Knife" Simpson.

 

[Mark Wimer]

I'm an equipment manager for a college football team and the reason everyone doesn't wear the same style helmet is simply that everyone's head is shaped differently. Not all head shapes can fit the same style helmet. Some heads are long and skinny, while others are round and fat and each needs a different style of helmet. The first thing we do when a new player comes in is measure their head and have them try on a few different style helmets to find the one with the best fit. If a helmet doesn't fit properly, nothing else matters. And while there are some players who resist wearing a certain style helmet due to how they look, most players understand the need for safety now and will wear what we tell them is best for them.

While the Revolution is a very good helmet, Schutt's ION 4D has also had very good test results in reducing the impact on the head. And there is actually a newer helmet on the market called the Xenith that was designed by a former Harvard QB that is a really innovative design. The links below give a good review of what the helmet's innovative features are. The testing on that helmet had been exceptional so far. And with the bonnet design and when they come out with their full size run this fall, this helmet will theoretically be able to fit all shapes and sizes of players heads and provide superior protection.

Xenith

Xenith 2

Xenith vs. Ridell vs. Schutt

Thanks for the links!

The photos in link Xenith 2 are the clearest and the article explains the new design the best, IMO. It sounds like a truly innovative take on the football helmet...

 

[Liquid Tension]

I'm an equipment manager for a college football team and the reason everyone doesn't wear the same style helmet is simply that everyone's head is shaped differently. Not all head shapes can fit the same style helmet. Some heads are long and skinny, while others are round and fat and each needs a different style of helmet. The first thing we do when a new player comes in is measure their head and have them try on a few different style helmets to find the one with the best fit. If a helmet doesn't fit properly, nothing else matters. And while there are some players who resist wearing a certain style helmet due to how they look, most players understand the need for safety now and will wear what we tell them is best for them.

While the Revolution is a very good helmet, Schutt's ION 4D has also had very good test results in reducing the impact on the head. And there is actually a newer helmet on the market called the Xenith that was designed by a former Harvard QB that is a really innovative design. The links below give a good review of what the helmet's innovative features are. The testing on that helmet had been exceptional so far. And with the bonnet design and when they come out with their full size run this fall, this helmet will theoretically be able to fit all shapes and sizes of players heads and provide superior protection.

Xenith

Xenith 2

Xenith vs. Ridell vs. Schutt

 

[Wadsworth]

A couple of thoughts. I played rugby for several years and while injuries were frequent there were very few of the head injuries that are common in football. The main reason for is that is rugby players do not wear helmets. Helmets are a weapon almost as much as protection in the NFL. Player intentionally put their helmet on the other guys chin. Without a helmet in rugby, no one is going to do that.

Now of course the NFL is not going to outlaw helmets but they should take advantage of any new design that improves safety. And might consider a rule similar to the hockey's rule governing the stick whereby the player is responsible for his stick not getting in the face of opposing players. It doesn't matter if it's intentional or not. In the NFL every week we see players leading with their helmet to the chin. Frequently there's a discussion if the hit was legal and usually it was within the rules. But look at this study. Maybe it's time those hits are not within the rules. We all know players do it on purpose. We all know those helmet to chin hits can cause serious and sometimes permanent damage. Many times we cheer when a player makes such a hit and talk about how tough he is.

I'm not so cool with the idea of cheering for a guy that intentionally hits another man in a way that is known to cause brain damage. So yea, use better helmets. But it also might be time to hold the players accountable as well.

 

[Matt Waldman]

A couple of thoughts. I played rugby for several years and while injuries were frequent there were very few of the head injuries that are common in football. The main reason for is that is rugby players do not wear helmets. Helmets are a weapon almost as much as protection in the NFL. Player intentionally put their helmet on the other guys chin. Without a helmet in rugby, no one is going to do that. Now of course the NFL is not going to outlaw helmets but they should take advantage of any new design that improves safety. And might consider a rule similar to the hockey's rule governing the stick whereby the player is responsible for his stick not getting in the face of opposing players. It doesn't matter if it's intentional or not. In the NFL every week we see players leading with their helmet to the chin. Frequently there's a discussion if the hit was legal and usually it was within the rules. But look at this study. Maybe it's time those hits are not within the rules. We all know players do it on purpose. We all know those helmet to chin hits can cause serious and sometimes permanent damage. Many times we cheer when a player makes such a hit and talk about how tough he is. I'm not so cool with the idea of cheering for a guy that intentionally hits another man in a way that is known to cause brain damage. So yea, use better helmets. But it also might be time to hold the players accountable as well.