Anthropological Analysis of Head Injuries in the National Football League (NFL)

The National Football League (NFL) supervises the play of professional football, the
most popular game in America, but one that at its core is based off of violence. The game
requires individuals to run full speed while tackling each other in order to prevent scoring plays.
Although football players wear pads and helmets to protect themselves, the game often times
becomes vicious and even life threatening. Reports have shown an increasing number of retired
NFL players who suffered concussions during their football careers to have developed cognitive
brain issues such as Alzheimers, depression, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). In
2012, 2000 former NFL players filed a unified lawsuit containing multiple concussion reports
where the players accused the NFL of negligence in failing to properly notify players of the link
between concussions and brain injuries (CNN Library). Despite the risk involved for players,
football remains the most popular and profitable sport in America, being watched by millions of
people each week. In a country where gun control and censorship of violence from videogames
and movies is at the forefront of the national conversation it is interesting that a violent sport like
football continues to retain its popularity. An analysis of the culture, ethics, human decision, and
economics of football along with head injuries will seek to examine the sport through an
anthropological lens.
Football in the NFL is a highly competitive sport with unique cultural characteristics that
resemble an almost Spartan like brotherhood. Players talented enough to be drafted into the NFL
consider themselves to be part of an exclusive fraternity where membership is spurred from
talent and hard work. Players develop strong kinship ties with their teammates and attempt to
make a livelihood through their performance on the field. In the fierce culture of football, players
strive to make hard, aggressive tackles or big hits on opposing players in order to help their

team win despite risk of injury. In the past decade, the NFL has alerted players and media alike
that it expects nearly a third of retired players to develop long-term cognitive problems (Belson,
New York Times). Players now understand the risk of playing football and taking big hits, but
also appreciate that in the cutthroat nature of the NFL players are replaceable if their
performance does not fit a teams needs or monetary investment in that player. Due to this, many
players will downplay any injuries or concussions they may have in order to be put back into the
game so they may support their livelihoods and gain prestige in the eyes of their teammates
through helping the team win.
Remarkably, the big hits and high velocity tackles that have potential to cause serious
injury to players are what exactly what gives football its appeal and makes it entertaining to
watch for fans. For example, during games fans loudly cheer in awe and admiration after a big
hit. Players often showboat or taunt after a big hit and media outlets such as ESPN celebrate
such hits in video features such as Jadeveon Clowneys Biggest Hit, which are produced for
the pleasure of a the media audience (YouTube). No other sport provides viewers with high
intensity action like football and therefore the concern of violence in football and the risk of
serious brain injury have not impeded the growing economic success of football. Strikingly, the
annual revenue for the NFL is the most of any sports league in the world, rising from $6.5 billion
in 2006 to $9.2 billion in 2013, (Burke, Forbes).
In the past 50 years, watching football has become a weekly Sunday ritual for millions of
Americans and an integral part of the American experience despite the violence it showcases.
Football is often associated with quality family time and pleasure. Watching football on
Thanksgiving Day and the Super Bowl are national traditions that net over 100 million viewers,
nearly a third of every American (Burke, Forbes). Conscious viewers may wrestle with the fact

that the entertainment of watching football comes with the potential risk of serious permanent
injury to other human beings, however in todays world people are primarily concerned with the
well-being of their nuclear family, while the health of strangers is sometimes a second thought.
However, there is growing concern over safety in football because of the fact that many families
have children that play in youth or college football leagues, whom could develop the same
injuries that professional athletes have. From 2001 to 2009 the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention reported a 60% increase of traumatic brain injuries in athletes under the age of 19
(Attwood, Athletic Business). This concern has echoed into pop culture where sports icon and
former football star, LeBron James recently stated that he does not allow his sons to play
football, explaining that only basketball, baseball and soccer are allowed in his house (Wire,
Sports Illustrated). In addition, President Obama has commented that although he is a big
football fan, I [Obama] have to tell you if I had a son, I'd have to think long and hard before I
let him play football (Foer, New Republic).
In an effort to balance the brutal nature of playing football against growing public
sentiment over the dangers of the game as well as ex-player lawsuits, the NFL has started to
promote player safety regulations. The NFL supported concussion awareness by backing a law
adopted in 39 states that mandates that any young athlete suspected of having suffered a
concussion be removed from the game and not be allowed to play or practice until cleared by a
medical professional (Farrey, ESPN). The NFL has also changed game rules in order to promote
player safety, where players are now penalized and fined for helmet collisions (Price, Ibtimes).
Unfortunately for the NFL, concussion awareness is a Catch-22 of sorts because of the fact that
many parents now know of the full extent of the risk of permanent head injury from allowing
their child to play football and may be reluctant to do so.

Overall, it is evident that the competitive the culture of football fosters a violent
environment in which players are at high risk for injury from big hits. This risk however, has
not impeded players from playing the game or from viewers taking pleasure in the intense action.
The growing popularity of the NFL in spite of the negative press from football injuries reflects
Americas insatiable desire for the sport. The morality behind watching football is justified in the
conscious of some by the fact that players know of the risks, and are compensated in the millions
for putting their bodies on the line. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that humans take still pleasure
in the theater of violence that is football even with the risk of injury, which possibly underscores
a basic human need for high intensity entertainment and stimulation.

Works Cited
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