Through studies, it has been proven that former football players experience more late-life cognitive difficulties and worse physical and mental health than other former athletes and non-athletes. It is common for football players to experience numerous concussions throughout their careers. This is pretty disturbing because with concussions come a number of adverse health effects. When thinking long term, head trauma and concussions can lead to memory loss and other cognitive impairments, loss of certain bodily functions, frequent headaches and migraines, and some research has linked multiple concussions to clinical depression. On top of all of these effects, a former player’s quality of life can be affected as well. If an individual has trouble functioning mentally, can he have close, quality, and intimate relationships with other people, including his friends and family? What about a former football player that has trouble interacting with his children because of the beating that his body has taken playing a sport? What young, talented athlete is looking past the current year or even the next game? No player is going to give up a lucrative career because he may or may not be handicapped in the future, but all of these players must really ask themselves if it is worth it or not.
-Noah Nudell
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