Is Football Safe for Children? League of Denial (Part 7 of 9) | FRONTLINE

[@ZFKATNBADGER40]

As a person who absolutely loves the game... I have to say this is terrifying. I believe it, from my Pop Warmer years on... I saw kids subconsciously say they were okay and returned to the game because that was what was expected out of you whether being a 7 year old or 18 year old.

[@18guage25]

ASK YOURSELF HOW MANY NFL OWNERS/COACHES SONS PLAY FOOTBALL IN THE NFL???? THEN ASK YOURSELF HOW MANY US SENATORS HAVE SONS /DAUGHTERS IN THE MILITARY????

[@italiancapo7]

18 guage that has nothing to do with CTE or injuries. They don’t play in the NFL due to the lack of talent. Many played in college but never made it to the NFL.

[@Mr46ser]

Human bodies simply aren't built to take such hits on a regular basis...evolution has prepared us to do many things, but getting frequent hits to the head isn't really one of them.

[@jordanpugh6285]

As much as I loved the game. I don't want my boy to do this to most valuable thing he has. His mind.

[@vegan4theanimals]

It shouldn’t even be a debate. If you think endangering your child is ok than it might as well be child abuse. My step dad is forcing my younger brother to play and I tried telling him why he shouldn’t and my step dad walks in and says “he needs a positive role model, don’t talk to him” yeah, I’m telling him that he can get seriously hurt and trying to protect him but yeah I’m the negative role model.

[@foxfit4904]

21 years old. So sad. My numerous concussions will probably catch up soon.

[@misteeq6467]

Well I guess my mother was way before her time refused to let my brother play and that was 40 yrs ago. Nothing good can come out of your head being hit like that she would say

[@albertoaguilar9773]

I think that I now know why in my elementary only flag football was played.

[@flightofthebumblebee9529]

I love to watch football and I played when I was a kid but my enjoyment of a game is not at all worth anyone suffering like this.

[@Mrcharles.]

If I had a son, I would not let him play football. It is too dangerous.

[@choogafantastic]

My son is 7 and loves football, he’s been flag all his life and wants to play tackle so bad. He also plays soccer, basketball, baseball, and runs track. This is eye opening to say the least. I hope like hell he wants to play the other sports more as he gets older

[@Loveroffood41]

I would suggest being supportive of doing other sports. That is how you get him away from football. If you have to show this series to him.

[@johanruiz3422]

Let him wait till he’s 13 that’s when I started to try playing football . I thank 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽god and my parents that they didn’t make me play football at 9 or 8

[@CCTH2221-lp2zj]

Growing up in North Jersey I remember being “hard nosed and tough” was a badge of honor. Nothing warmed the heart of old school coaches more than for a player to be glassy eyed and not want to miss a play. I’m very thankful now that I used my shoulder pads more than my helmet when making tackles. I’ve seen some of my teammates deal with those collisions even from high school and college level….

[@toby099]

And now you have CTE

[@ropegun44]

Short Answer: Absolutely NOT. I interviewed Bill Walsh for my film Football in America and he ABSOLUTELY said kids were not suited to contact football. He wanted them to become athletes and then play in High School. The is BILL WALSH... So no don't let your kids play and remember the CTE warnings in this film and it they Don't change the game then NEVER let them play. The head is not suited to concussive and sub concussive injuries and it is NOT worth it. Watch this film folks. I played in Division One btw. My film Football in America won the Emmy for outststanding achievement in sports programming ion 1983.

[@frontline]

Bob Carmichael thanks for your thoughtful and powerful comments.We appreciated your feedback here.

[@k24bfan]

+TJ Schmidt As a football fan myself I think it's because of the high concussion rates of the sport due to the game.

[@richcastle6796]

+TJ Schmidt because of the endless head hits!!! Not really a mystery mate.

[@ricardosoto5770]

Same with children boxing and MMA, in most civilized countries its ilegal. Too many hits to the head.

[@danwest1584]

@@minolta4life831 There are fighters that are trying to mitigate the accumulative neurological effects of their chosen sport by reducing the amount of sparing or eliminating all together. Tony Ferguson (mma) comes to mind.

[@JesusGodHolySpirit3]

Any parent that signs up a child to play football is either in denial or has not done their research. After seeing this I can't ever support anyone who decides to put their child into this sport if told that they can or MOST LIKELY will get CTE because $ isn't worth it and the little child know's no better! It is the parents responsibility to due the research 1st before signing up for a contact sport.

[@lisaharshberger3434]

You don't know what your talking about not that many concussions even happen in youth football

[@magnesiumiia4624]

It seems like you are the one not listening. It's not ONLY the concussions which are the issue. Repeated head trauma (i.e., concussion or no concussion) is the problem. It is inevitable that head trauma will occur at any level of the sport - youth and/or adult football.

[@mcloveinmclove2263]

My parents weren't pussys they signed me up most fun I had

[@saverbronz5193]

Yah because u don't know about football

[@TachyonVortex]

Mclovein Mclove ikr y does everyone freak out about it? 😂

[@carter2351]

There are rules to prevent concussions and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. For instance, they make you tackle a certain way, and you are only aloud two concussions until they force you to quit.

[@gavinmclaughlin7317]

I love football but I think it’s too dangerous for me to play

[@howie2173]

There is "No Safe" in football period.

[@BBP420]

But that was old equipment... also these peoples brains that they measured problem play very dangerous positions.

[@xero4158]

They have new Tech and train the players in a youth league to make a safer tackle. A lot of leagues at least around here is a 15 yard penalty if you hit higher than the chest

[@BBP420]

Gaming With JC my tackle football league does that and they have advanced equipment.

[@bennelong8451]

2:16 now that’s scary

[@sharpemang]

I have a feeling there's gonna be a lot of really good kickers and punters soon.

[@freddyd17]

I think soccer will gain more fans.

[@Trekki200]

This probably is a unique European thing but, in here in Germany kids under 16 are only allowed to play touch or flag football. Which I would assume is to prevent this kind of damage. Why should a 9 year old play tackle football anyway?! I mean aren't kids that age still to uncoordinated and pain sensitive to play such games?

[@teeazyx786]

Trekki200 not true, I am from Germany and play tackle football myself. I am 14 years old

[@thoteater1756]

August Ehrenstein you are screwing yourself over

[@ricardosoto5770]

Its like putting children for boxing... child abuse. For consenting adults its Ok, peewee football is child abuse.

[@tacogfx1842]

Trekki200 that’s life I’m 11 and I have been playing since I was 8 or 7

[@thomasschradle6183]

The intensity and violence of the game grows exponentially from the levels of youth, middle school, high school, college, professional. Speed is THE factor. Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the mass of the object and to the square of its velocity. Safer than ever Goodell says. NOPE.

[@abigramsfan5486]

Whenever they put footage of players having their heads hit, it was from the 70s. Helmets then were only made to keep your head from splitting open. People did not know very much about concussions. All sports have injuries. You can get a concussion in soccer, lacrosse, hockey, and other injuries as well. Football happens to have more concussions per year at the high school level, but if you look at the statistics for any other contact sport, the numbers are VERY close. Also, advanced helmets such as the Vicis zero1 did not exist at the time of this video. Technology is improving.

[@tomace7924]

Parents, fathers especially, are going to keep pushing their sons to play football because it’s so GODDAMN…FANTASTIC!!!!

[@humzahhassan4521]

I don’t think kids should play football until high school

[@johanruiz3422]

I can respect your opinion

[@johnnyguitar108]

Football is an idiotic sport. Why anyone would let their kids play, i dont know.

[@shootmeup_2932]

JohnnyGuitar Im 11 and i play football and we have pads you fucking idiots!

[@julianmontes5853]

Dayaslays what about inside you skull to prevent your brain from shaking and getting cte

[@sosueme66]

The human brain is not that of a woodpecker.

[@jakebru3367]

It’s safe, as long as you play safe

[@thelegendkillersshittyduff1335]

Jake Bru no it's not are you dumb

[@JaneDoe-ci3gj]

No it's not!

[@Blencathra1]

As a British parent watching this I must say that I would have serious concerns letting my child play American football, BUT I would have no concerns about letting them play rugby. Perhaps controversially i think that the helmets & padding give a false sense of protection & invincibility. Kiddies rugby is safer.

[@ricardosoto5770]

Rugby it safer, no padding, smarter softer tackling, the reasons you have stated, and Rugby still a elite sport so the coaching and game umpiring is more quality. bit that might change as Rugby becomes more popular. Even in the UK it was a elitist sport.

[@bryanaguilar5990]

Football is not a safe sport obviously but that's the sport is you don't want to get hurt don't play it's not just injuries it teaches life lessons they just looked at the things that could go wrong but still that's football

[@ozpowermo]

+Bryan Aguilar I don't think the problem is that football is a contact sport or that you can get hurt in it. Most people understand the risk of injuries. However, the problem is that the public is not informed sufficiently well to make a clear decision on how risky it is. Furthermore, if we have the proper knowledge of the specific risks, then we can invest more money into designing equipment that protects better. It's common sense.

[@ricardosoto5770]

In my opinion, if adults want to play and know their risks is their lives and bodies.,. but ill draw the line at children.

[@spartanequil7516]

This is why we advanced in technology, also, the only way to live life to the fullest is taking risks, not being a jerk and not allowing your kids to play, then wouldn't actually have fun, and im not saying that thats the only way to have fun its just that some people actually enjoy football.

[@thelegendkillersshittyduff1335]

SpartanEquil those people who enjoy football are fucking morons. Did u even watch the video

[@pizzaboy1250]

I'm afraid I'm 'Owen Thomas' :( I'm 24 and very convinced I have CTE and have been diagnosed with a plethora of mental health issues and been tempted by suicide on many an ocassion.

[@AlbertQian]

It's 4 years later. I hope you are OK.

[@LIKEZB0SS]

Bro football is a dangerous game when it comes to this type of shit but the lineman part was completely bullshit. Proper technique keeps both players heads out of contact. Sure, when our team has 3 o linemen get concussions during one practice, that sounds awful, but when you watch the film, all three of them lead with their heads and barely used their hands, completely opposite of technique being taught by any coach in the world.

[@daelingaming717]

No

[@bryantjohnson3394]

Youth football i will not stop

[@BrokeredHeart]

+Bryant Johnson And so it shouldn't. But referees, coaches, trainers, players and parents need to be aware of the consequences, and know preventative measures against head trauma. Proper tackling technique can be taught, helmet technology and padding can change, and the rules of the game at the high school level can change. There's no reason to halt young people from playing football so long as they are informed. Once you know the stakes involved, there is also an awareness of how to protect yourself while playing. That's why you don't see the same prevalency of CTE in combat/contact sports: martial arts, boxing, rugby, baseball or lacrosse. They can be hard on the body, but the brain is still the most highly protected part.

[@thelegendkillersshittyduff1335]

BrokeredHeart fuck football kids don't need to play football period idiot sheep

[@thelegendkillersshittyduff1335]

Bryant Johnson fuck football. If you morons wanna ruin ur brain go ahead damn brainless sheep.

[@thelegendkillersshittyduff1335]

les antoine which is utterly pathetic.

[@ricardosoto5770]

Legalize child boxing again. Under 12 boxing, kids should know how to take a hit to the head, other wise they will grow to be sissies and join the LGBT community or become communists. And if we are at it children MMA would be a good idea too. Pop Warner shall get into that.

[@willinilli3923]

But these are old helmets

[@54CFC]

That's right...helmets are designed to prevent the skull from fracturing; not preventing concussions.

[@kevinfosbenner102]

fla

[@eduardogallegos9]

Hu N

[@mcloveinmclove2263]

Played for 25 years don't have cte I was 4 when I started

[@ozpowermo]

+Mclovein Mclove And you're doctor who has researched a large number of football players? And are we supposed to take your anecdotal evidence as sufficient to make scientific claims here?

[@mcloveinmclove2263]

+ozpowermo no but people will injure themselves in anything and I know my kids are playing

[@ozpowermo]

Mclovein Mclove I don't think the presumption is that everybody WILL get CTE, but that a lot of players CAN get CTE. So it only makes sense to give proper warnings and education, so we can let people decide the amount of risk they want to take. And it's also certain that kids shouldn't be playing full contact football.

[@henrykingfire6236]

Mclovein Mclove What position did you play and what levels?

[@nicknewhouse8628]

Punter or kicker?

[@TruNYC1]

Republicans like calling the denials as a "Principled Stance". You can equate this to Gun Regulations, Climate change election finance, etc..