While people, including myself, love watching football, there is a lot of controversy over its dangers. Concussions are one of the most common injuries in football. Most professional football players will have a concussion at least once in their life. Concussions are caused when head to head contact happens. Since football is such a rough sport, getting hit in the head is very likely. Out of all high school sports, football is responsible for 60% of concussions. Even if someone is not directly hit in the head, they can experience a concussion. Some common symptoms are headaches, nausea, dizziness and confusion. Concussions can also be a result of whiplash; whiplash happens a lot in football because players are getting thrown to the ground. Sports are the most common cause of concussions for children. Is it worth the risk of a concussion for children to play football? 

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One of the most recent, and famous, concussions in pro football is Tua Tagovailoa. In a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami quarterback Tua was hit hard and received a concussion. The week before, Tua had received a hit that led to people thinking he had a concussion, but he still played the next week. After his hit, his arms started twitching as he laid on the ground, looking lifeless. Tua was carried out on a stretcher. The aftermath of the hit was horrifying. Of course, this is in pro football, but there's still a chance something similar to this could happen in a kids or teen football game.

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While Tua’s concussion was more serious than the average concussion, it shows how dangerous football is. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can happen as a result of concussions. Once someone gets a concussion, they are more likely to receive another concussion than someone who has never had one. After receiving multiple concussions, a player can get CTE . CTE affects the rest of a player's life. Some of the effects of CTE are memory loss, parkinson's disease, slurred speech, and later, dementia. Should children be playing football if this can be in their future?  

After I learned more about the dangers of concussions, I’d say no, children should not be allowed to play football. I don’t think children should be put at this risk. If a child gets a concussion, they're more likely to continue getting them. Concussions have so many downsides, that it really makes you wonder if it’s worth it. The chance of a child growing up and getting CTE is too great. You must really love the sport to play football. 

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Thankfully, science about concussions is constantly evolving. When I researched more about helmets I learned that football is becoming much safer for players. If you compare pro football concussions from 2017 with 281 concussions to 2021 with 187 concussions, there is a major change due to helmet updates. Doctors know how to make more protective helmets to keep players healthy. If doctors are able to keep updating helmets to keep players protected, football can become as less dangerous as it could possibly be.

 

Everything in life has risks to it, and it’s important to know if something is worth the risk. I believe that because science about concussion protection is constantly improving, football will become less risky. If you were to ask me 10 years ago if I thought kids should be playing football, I would have said no. Now that helmets are improving, I think it is safe to some extent for kids to play football. When it comes down to it, I will always believe that flag football is much safer for kids. For now, I wouldn’t let my brother play football. I wouldn’t let my brother risk getting a concussion because of the impact it could have on his future. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about their children getting CTE. Just one concussion can lead to terrible consequences. Until helmet safety is fully improved, it’s just too unsafe. Even though football is perilous now, there is a good chance that it can be safer in the future. NFL concussion rates dropping is a good sign. I believe that in a few years, players can be more protected from concussions. Children and teens should be able to comfortably play football sooner rather than later.