A new study published in the journal BMJ indicates that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disorder, was found in at least one in four former NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021. Researchers examined the brains of 235 out of 878 former players who died during that period and found evidence of CTE in a significant portion of them.
CTE is caused by repeated blows to the head and can lead to symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, depression, erratic behavior, and personality changes. While researchers have long associated CTE with contact sports like football, this study provides one of the most concrete estimates to date of the disease's prevalence among professional players, characterizing it as a substantial occupational hazard.
Regulatory Landscape and Ethical Questions
Federal regulators have historically intervened to protect workers in hazardous professions, such as coal miners suffering from black lung disease. However, the sports industry, and particularly football, has seen less direct regulatory intervention. The sport is considered an American institution, and regulators face challenges in making the game safer.
In a move that touched on the sport's inherent risks, the Trump administration's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed a rule last year that would have excluded hazards "inherent and inseparable from the core nature of a professional activity" from its enforcement standards. This proposal, which has not yet been finalized, raises questions about whether danger is intrinsic to football and how fans reconcile their enjoyment of the sport with the harm it can cause.
Cultural critic Chuck Klosterman noted that football's moral complexity is part of its appeal, stating that the sport "doesn't let you land comfortably on one side or the other." He suggests that removing the inherent danger might diminish the game's stakes and meaning for some.
Broader Impacts and Recommendations
Simultaneously, football is recognized for its ability to foster shared rituals, civic pride, and a sense of community in an increasingly atomized society.
The study's findings lead to practical conclusions, including the recommendation that children should not play tackle football. Additionally, the NFL and college football programs are encouraged to continue efforts to improve helmet technology and reduce contact, particularly during practices, to mitigate the risks associated with the sport.