Opinion: Concussions, broken bones, and more: a week of football in the U.S.
News about concussions and other injuries to young football players appears with alarming frequency, as do reports of the long-term damage to NFL players.
Young pro players are leaving the game for fear of permanent harm to their brains and bodies. Last month, Joshua Perry discussed his retirement at age 24 after suffering six concussions. He’s following in the footsteps of A.J. Tarpley, who retired at age 23, also because of concussion concerns.
In March, USA Today called for a ban on tackle football for kids under 14, and one month later the journal Pediatrics reported results from a survey in which a majority of parents who responded supported age restrictions on tackling.
Still, as our third annual Football Injury Highlight Reel attests, the and editions, this year’s emphasizes injuries among youths, because those under 18 represent the of football players in the United States. We include pro stats as a comparison and to indicate the persistence and prevalence of injuries.
