(ThyBlackMan.com) A set of hearings will take place soon to deal with the impact of concussions on NFL players. The hearings have very high stakes, with billions of dollars on the line, depending on how they turn out. As it stands, a total of 4,200 players have sued the NFL for various brain injuries. Some have suffered from dementia, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological problems.
Some players have even killed themselves after being unable to endure the suffering they experienced when their playing days were over. The players’ attorneys say that the NFL promotes the violence of the game and isn’t forthcoming about the long-term health effects that occur from play on the field. Their goal now is to determine what the NFL knew about concussions, and when in fact they knew it.
“The NFL failed to live up to its responsibility: it negligently heightened players’ exposure to repeated head trauma and fraudulently concealed the chronic brain injuries that resulted,” the players’ lawyers wrote in a legal
filing.
The NFL is an economic behemoth, with $9.2 billion in annual revenue. Big money buys you big excuses, since it’s difficult to shut down an economic engine this massive. Players may get what they want, but it’s going to be a long and ugly fight.
“The rule in our league is simple: Medical decisions override everything else,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a speech.
At this point, the key decision being made by Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody of Philadelphia is whether or not the lawsuits should remain in federal court. The NFL says that the collective bargaining agreement should undercut the lawsuits. But the plaintiff’s attorneys want the case in court to ensure a stronger and more robust discovery process.
If Brody rules in favor of players, then their individual cases would be referred back to their home states, where damages would be awarded based on the seriousness of their injuries. If she sides with the NFL, then players will be subject to arbitration.
When it comes to the NFL and brain damage, I am reminded of the song, “Mama, don’t let your babies grow up to be Cowboys.” I think that the song should refer to Dallas Cowboys, or any kind of man who has to put on a football helmet in order to feed his family. The physical breakdowns that occur after even two or three years on the field can lead to a lifetime of medication, pain, and even drug addiction. This doesn’t even consider the possibility that the player has significant brain damage. All of these outcomes are affected by the decision made by the boy’s parents when that little league coach walks up and says, “You wanna sign your son up to play footbal this year?”
I’m not one to tell parents whether they should or shouldn’t let their boys get on the field. But I can say that
a) I personally would not,
and
b) you should be fully aware of the short and long-term risks before choosing to do so. Finally, I say that it’s high time that we start to realize that there are other ways for a black man to get rich besides hoping that a white guy will pay him to carry a ball.
There are communities across America that allow our boys to over-invest in professional football careers, most of which never come to fruition. Too many of our kids, when asked what they want to do for a living, simply say, “I wanna play football.” This makes me sad, because the so-called “dream” of professional sports often turns into a nightmare, especially when we let our boys neglect their educational opportunities in favor of the chance to play a sport.
This is not to disrespect those who love sports, for I am a sports fan myself. But these lawsuits, if they tell us anything, should make us fully aware that professional football might not be the most productive way to make a living. It would be easier just to get a good education and start your own business. In fact, most my wealthy friends involved in sports are the ones who work behind the scenes, not the ones who actually play on the field. It’s time to step up our game.
Staff Writer; Dr. Boyce Watkins
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. For more information, please visit http://BoyceWatkins.com.