A Football Coach Confronts His Son’s C.T.E. Diagnosis

[@nancyloftus6872]

One of my sons wanted to play but wasn't big enough and by the time he had grown, he'd lost interest...and I'm forever grateful.

[@hendrixavery3988]

I wasn’t expecting this man to leave his job or anything but letting your grandsons play contact ball before high school threw me for a loop.

[@LuisSanchez-dw7mt]

He only thinks of himself.

[@spiralrose]

It’s unfathomable. How could he do that ? His grandsons would do better to build up their brains and their education.

[@alphantom0657]

I feel like no one is taking CTE seriously

[@aaliyahmichael8853]

it’s so insane …. it’s like people have cognitive dissonance. they don’t want to see it.

[@Cesare996]

It's all because of money. This guy's son had CTE because of football yet he is still coaching men his son's age. Why? For money.

[@aw2584]

​@@Cesare996yeah but hes not the one who have the power to do much about it.

[@aw2584]

But its all about money of course. I remember hearing that like 98% of all NFL players have CTE. That SOCCER PLAYERS end up with CTE JUST BY HEADING THE BALL FEW TIMES A GAME!!! (as it adds up over the years). But do you think multibillion dollar corporations in US, Europe or anywhere else will make it known that playing the sport which makes them billions upon billions upon billions of dollaes every year or month or week will make you punch drunk and with severe dementia at the age of 40 or 50? Lmao no

[@spiralrose]

Aw He could make sure that the kids he’s coaching understand the risks they are undertaking.

[@alihall676]

What a tragedy. I’m so sorry for your loss of your beautiful son Mikko. Thank you for being so brave to share this with the world. The mental health component can’t be understated. We can all learn a lot from this story. Thank you for sharing the very private details about your son. This will have an impact for other families that may be going through the same situation. Again, my deepest condolences.

[@karenavey2183]

A major hit in middle school is a concussion! How could they not take this more seriously?

[@Cesare996]

They turned a blind eye to see of their son would make it to the NFL. Its all for money of course.

[@opalessence4818]

What amazing, loving parents! I’m so sorry for the loss of your beautiful son. Please don’t blame yourselves. You didn’t know. We used to not know of the harm caused by alcohol and tobacco. Just like these substances, which are illegal to sell to minors, we now know that football endangers the health of minors via traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). When we know better, we do better. When will tackle football 🏈 for minors be outlawed? Do we stand for protecting our youth or entertainment through sports?

[@Cesare996]

How do you avoid CTE? Do not play. Before the 2000s we were ignorant of this disease, but now, if you play is your fault. We are not ignorant now. Play at your own risk but dont be lamenting later on. The things humans do or risk for money.

[@_i_am_unceded]

Screw simulated war competition. It only teaches us to reward the worst of us.

[@tessiepinkman]

Agreed!

[@LuminousVoid88]

I'm so sorry for their loss.

[@kevinjacobson6252]

These parents are incompetent and don't actually seem to give af about their son dying

[@v.emiltheii-nd.8094]

No parents should ever bury their sons and daughters. No parents ever!

[@servingyahuah9818]

He's admitting that he did it and continues to do it for money. If you're reading this, take your kids OUT of football and put them INTO something that will build up their brain!

[@Rhade15]

Wouldn’t participate in a contact sport for all the money in the world

[@sergiosaunier]

I'm with you on that one. Every contact sport presents at least some level of risk. That's what most people don't understand.

[@Hollylivengood]

There are other things you can do for a "way out". He acts like only football can get you to college. You can go to college on music, science, track and field. You can go to college on chess for godsake. There's a little kid in our chess club who wins actual money you want to win at kids chess tournaments, and most of them provide scholarships as a prize. He's literally paid for his college tuition on his own with chess. Why are people sending their sons into a sport that will break their brains?

[@jocelynleung3111]

Music, science, track and field, and chess for most of us require good teachers or mentors, equipment, clubs or after school activities with other likeminded folks, competitions to give added incentive to improve and practice, etc. And for music, kids need instruments, lessons, competition fees etc. which all add up money wise. We live in a country where we don’t invest in K-12 schools outside of white and rich neighborhoods. Many folks from communities of color can only rely on knowing others who have made it to college and beyond with football and the military. There is prior investment and infrastructure there compared to everything you are listing.

[@Kyarrix]

Unfortunately the person who responded to you is right. There will be those who can overcome bad teachers and bad schools and make it anyway but for many sports is one of the few ways out. You're right that there are other ways and I agree with your underlying point but for many music and science art and education are out of their reach through no fault of their own.

[@Kyarrix]

​@@jocelynleung3111unfortunately well said

[@jocelynleung3111]

@@Kyarrixthanks! I hate being right but know from the neighborhoods I grew up in

[@gustavoaureliano15]

So, me personally I see it as a region thing, I got a full ride to UNCC for football, because i saw it was my way out. I’m come from what used to be a small town in South Carolina, we didn’t have much but violence. Personally I’ve always been into anything that has a motor, i loved knowing what makes a car or motorcycle alive, however we just didn’t have that sort of program tl pursue that. Our schools in rock hill had no art electives and no true academic mentoring. You were either content on being a warehouse or construction man or you were out at the park, doing reps and drills into the late nights. Football for me gave me a sense of belonging, i was allowed to take out my frustrations on this field and be surrounded by kids who felt just like i did. 16 of our kids including me made it into D1 just off our hustle alone. Look up the South pointe stallions, i went just three years after JD Clowney went through

[@NINABERETTA]

Did he just say football killed his son but football is great

[@LaurelBaum-x6x]

Yes he did

[@benjaminyoung9694]

cte is funny sometimes

[@32hernandez93]

Brutal game.

[@soddyboys2929]

No sport is worth it… especially high school. 4 years vs the next 60 years. Which one means more?

[@faizangopal]

"I'm walking it very truthfully" No you are not. You should have stopped coaching football as soon as you found out your son has CTE. Football is bad. It is bound to give you CTE.

[@v.emiltheii-nd.8094]

Wishing them the best!

[@DANAMIONLINE]

I would watch an extended version of this

[@CoreyANeal2000]

3:56 I think everyone can relate to this within their lives.

[@AlexLewisTV]

This is just tragic.

[@mgreen351]

Too many times we hear that parents did not know that their children who played football had suffered these brain injuries. Coach Locksley and his wife are no different. Mrs. Locksley mentions in hindsight that she believed her son had suffered an undiagnosed concussion(s). I believe my son did also. We are taught that the hits that these young men take do nothing but “ring their bells” It is time to fully inform the parents about CTE and let the parents decide whether they want their child’s brain health to be at risk. After all, our brains are the most important part of our body.

[@butterfly_decal]

They all know & willingly participate putting their kid’s future on the line. Rolling the dice.

[@mgreen351]

When I signed my son up for sports, parents and guardians were given forms to sign for them to participate. If I remember correctly, the state of Virginia didn’t have a concussion form until around 2010 and the last time I was required to sign was in 2013. Nowhere in the information provided did they mention Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE. However, in 2002, former NFL player Mike Webster was diagnosed with this brain injury and in 2006, student athlete Eric Pelly was. Instead, parents are given information that concussions are mild. Coaches tell these kids to keep playing and fans keep encouraging them too. After all, they are only having their bell ring and it will make them strong and tough men. Well this is not true, it debilitates these children. It messes up their futures and make them old before they should be. When they go for help, no one hears. Why not? Because they say CTE can only be diagnosed when they are dead, they don’t mention or know about traumatic encephalopathy syndrome that consists of symptoms of anxiety, depression, loss of memory, hallucinations, change in personality, etc. Why? Maybe because they are not taught about it. Recently they admitted that student athletes are being widely affected with CTE. This is the link to that article: www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/38276973/study-finds-cte-40-percent-athletes-died-30?platform=amp Our kids are too important for parents not to be fully informed about these brain injuries that are caused by repetitive hits and both diagnosed and undiagnosed concussions or traumatic brain injuries.

[@constancewalsh3646]

"Miss my son... 100%" - yet still not enough pain, still engaged in the sport. I too feel for this man and his family, and the suffering brought by generational trauma and addiction to illusions.

[@blob2092]

yes but he talks about grandsons, which are not as close as sons, becuase they are more removed from your lineage

[@Cesare996]

Exactly

[@pop8612]

I don’t think you can make football safe. It is wishful thinking to you can prevent concussions and CTE in a contact sport.

[@Toykio]

Weird that rugby doesn't have the problem to this degree, huh? /s

[@jchung1506]

@@Toykiothey absolutely do have the same problem. Rugby is not popular in North America so we don’t hear about it as much.

[@imateapot51]

@@Toykio Soccer has a problem too.

[@CCTH2221-lp2zj]

Football is a fascinating phenomenon. I grew up in a place where football at least in my opinion was not alpha and omega. Yet the pressures in the New Jersey suburbs still led young men like myself to take the risk. I remember thinking during muddy practices thinking “I could doing something else”. But then I would about Saturday and the band playing and people cheering. I fortunately decided to use my shoulder pads as the primary tool for tackling and blocking. Some of my teammates bought into the “stick your head in there” stuff and I believe they now regret it. Not having boys relieved me of the responsibility of having to steer them away from football. Thankfully

[@mts7274]

CTE is absolutely junk science, and people who complain about head trauma in football are the same people who celebrate head trauma in boxing or MMA. 🤡🤡🤡

[@blake.henderson]

damage to the physical apparatus that affects mental function is the worst injury a human can suffer as the manesfestations are pyschological which is all we have :(

[@wkatc007]

All the best to them and all those affected with CTE and the surviving family members.

[@menesesmd]

This kind of regret could eat you alive. I hope TCE gets the attention and be avoided soon enough. Nobody elsw should suffer like this from something avoidable.

[@jdeljones]

Football is never going away. As this man stated it gave him a career. Football is the most profitable sport in the WORLD. No other league brings in the billions like the NFL, it's not even close. And with the NCAA and NIL deals collegiate players are getting something. Not as much as they should. But it's a big motivator to keep guys on the pipeline. We will all one day take our last breath. Some of these CTE caused endings are so tragic. But to tell a lot of young men that one of their few opportunities to make something of themselves and try and get a collegiate scholarship, NIL deal, and maybe one day make it to the NFL should go away bc the sport is inherently unsafe. It's not going to happen. And it's not fair. The focus should be on making the game safer, doing more research and educating people on the risks. And pushing the NFL (and NCAA) to cover the medical expenses of players in retirement regardless of how long they played in the league and whether or not they got to union status. We will try and cancel football but won't say anything about poor diets, inactivity, and any of the illicit substances people want to put in their bodies. I'm not deflecting. I'm saying we're all going to die someday so make the most of your life. And if playing football shaves time off your life but you gain a higher quality of life while you're here, then I can't fault anyone for making that decision.

[@MediumKeyChannel]

More black athletes are choosing baseball. Baseball will be dominated by black americans the way it was in the 70's-80's and 90's again. Many of the top minor league and HS prospects are black athletes that chose baseball over football. NFL is brutal cuthroat and doesn't even pay enough considering the damage it does to these guys bodies. My father played 3 nfl seasons and was smart enough to retire because he saw what it was (early 80s) most his friends are all messed up

[@liljeffsonny]

Well said

[@gussbus9320]

American football isn’t even popular at all outside the us 😂

[@spiralrose]

Yes, but you have to think about your family too. Watching somebody die from CTE and knowing it’s preventable must be horrible. Do you really want to do that to your kids, your parents, your wife? We have to think about more than what gives us happiness, we have to think about how our actions affect others

[@pop8612]

My heart breaks for this family.

[@FernThatsALL]

This Publicity was program with de #NFL 🙃#SorryForMyQUÉBECOIS😅

[@Justdeidre]

Bless his family & his soul 😢

[@Broncos18]

Man this guy is twisted. Sees what happened to his son and keeps putting young men in danger. Didnt learn a thing at all.

[@ellaneruda]

Definitely some serious cognitive dissonance.

[@whodidit99]

There are ways to prevent CTE. I notice no one knows how to tackle anymore, because they don't have live scrimmages any more.

[@ThePrince_x]

I feel like this man learned nothing?

[@briancannon3987]

First time I got my bell rung as a kid i knew it was bad

[@polishherowitoldpilecki5521]

What happened

[@550skyler]

The game gives a lot but than takes everything

[@saba770]

I would never let my son play American football. It is a matter of time...the game will only be played by the poor...no parent that knows better will allow it.

[@BwInNewJersey]

@LadieKatieyou are as wrong as the original commenter. Jesus no wonder this country is f’d.

[@cancerino666]

I think it's more correct to say "no parent that knows better or isn't desperate enough will allow it" Poor doesn't mean dumb nor uninformed.

[@BwInNewJersey]

@LadieKatie thats not what you said in the original comment which you deleted

[@keysersoze5032]

Not really. The best hs football teams in my county are in the wealthiest towns. But they don't light a candle to the elite football players down south

[@EricPease]

his paycheck is blood money and he knows it

[@geemcgraff8281]

What? The phullas society causes brain damage.

[@liljeffsonny]

Car companies and assembly line workers make blood money

[@Troy428492]

It's keeps happening and happening 😢

[@cosmicpolitan]

There is always a price to pay for greatness. How horrible and profoundly sad it was their beloved child. May they be comforted in knowing his sacrifice brings more awareness to C.T.E., and, hopefully, out of this tragedy, changes are made to solve this problem.

[@perrycoffey5410]

Solve it by getting rid of this barbaric sport

[@ChristopherInTexas]

6.1 million a year. Decent price to sell out

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Sad.

[@rocm4230]

So he didn't learn anything... alright

[@galedribble9535]

What gives you that impression? He literally said it affected how he trains his teams

[@ThePrince_x]

​@@galedribble9535yeah so he made a very minor change lol. I'm diabetic. I'll keep eating cake everyday, but just without the icing..

[@Karlsvensson777]

I lost my sister...😭😭😭😭😭

[@phoenixsimpson3793]

Prayers and healing for his family 😔My heart breaks for the mother to say that she could've done something differently, when CTE is unknown about until death. Sadly, the possibility of mitigating CTE was going to be to take him out of his joy that is football 🙁

[@spiralrose]

Sometimes we have to give up our joy for the well-being of our families

[@Hezfree]

Weird story. It's like their cat died. Emotions appeared as reasonable and comfortable. And the football bras? What happened to practice tees. Nike and Under Armor practice panties next.

[@whodidit99]

American football is one of the best and one of the the worst sports ever created. It's entertaining and fun to play, but too dangerous. After one concussion, the player should quit the sport forever, as the risk of CTE is too great.

[@MKiurinuRigold]

1000 to 1500 times per year - each hit is 20 G in impact Human brain aren’t meant for such sport

[@christiansoto9755]

My nephew asked me for permission to play football. I straight up told him no. Children should not be playing tackle football. I've seen too many kids knock each other out then are back at it again next week. There needs to be a law change because parents are too stupid to let them make those decisions for their kids.

[@aem870]

I'm no medical expert but sounds like he had schizophrenia also, people with schizophrenia see or/and hear things that aren't there.

[@gregglasscock7470]

bingo sad

[@tymeburglar86]

These are cte symptoms. Cte sufferers can experience or exhibit aspects of paranoia, personality disorders, mood disorders, etc

[@Iwoiopi-824]

Organic brain damage bring mental illnesses. Mental illnesses aren’t some spiritual disorders that come out of nowhere. There is something physically and chemically wrong with your brain. CTE can bring about a large variety of mental illnesses from physical damage.

[@cocopen3415]

I’m sorry

[@scottcharney1091]

Down with this stupid sport.

[@pedalingprospector2007]

And yet he knew CTE happens to football players. What was it? 100 out of 101 brains of deceased football players were found to have CTE?

[@numbernine3436]

Would yearly scans of the brain/brain stem help? If so it should be mandatory.

[@MediumKeyChannel]

CTE isn't really detectable until you die. All you can do is watch for symptoms

[@ellaneruda]

Currently CTE can only be diagnosed postmortem (after death via an autopsy).

[@spiralrose]

I mean, you can see symptoms of changes in the brain through one speech and behavior and affect If someone is playing heavy, contact sports and starts displaying these symptoms, it’s not easy to Deny what’s happening? You don’t need a definitive diagnosis to have a diagnosis that’s definitive

[@feynmanstein]

The game can never be made safe. Pack it in people, play baseball, basketball, or something else.

[@LuisSanchez-dw7mt]

His son died of CTE and he is okay with his grandkids playing. The man is selfish

[@numba1baller4life]

Americans are the same people who shrug after, like the billionth mass shooting. These people are insane.

[@dredey1971]

Anything your child dies from, you shouldn't let your grandchildren do? You must not have kids or you just don't like the man.

[@n6a6me6jebus]

​@@numba1baller4life we are for real 😐

[@ndjk2821]

That's not what he said...

[@Jesse-ib2mh]

How? People die in car wrecks everyday to a job they hate. Do you let your kids drive?

[@robertbishop5357]

Sorry coach you know what multiple concussions do to the human brain. Safer to what degree?

[@mts7274]

CTE is absolutely junk science, and people who complain about head trauma in football are the same people who celebrate head trauma in boxing or MMA. 🤡🤡🤡

[@scottcharney1091]

It's not just concussions. Repeated sub-concussive hits are more of a problem.

[@mts7274]

@@scottcharney1091 It's drug and alcohol abuse by many of these players.

[@ايهابفضلاليمني-ب8ه]

Prayers I know the feeling I had stage 3 or 4 doctor's proved two year ago I was very sick doing things they are not like me had a brain of a 85 year old man with no direction if I wasn't attacked I could of saved so many lives instead they missed it since my early teens but stage 1 and 2 had under control stage 3 or 4 lost my mind supposedly walked into a building which in life walked by Many had computer my whole life never gambled ever in life thining coursump collisim every lobe was busted enlarged latterel ventricles family didn't knoe i hsf this disease ya trash forced Bio chemicals on s Child with Alzheimer's that I didn't chose to have

[@imateapot51]

? I think cte can only be diagnosed when they dissect the brain.

[@aw2584]

​@@imateapot51well no. Its only possible to diagnose it 100% after death, but its very easy to diagnose it (alias without 100% certainty but lets say its 95% instead) especially at more advanced stages... look at boxers with it. There are videos comparing their behaviour and most importantly speech years ago and years after. The slurred speech is so severe it is pretty obvious whats going on.... with a 35 or 40yo talking like hes constantly drunk (hence the old school term punch drunk) forgetting family members names, random mood swings and aggression, severe depression episodes etc.

[@mysteryhombre81]

@@imateapot51 I think that paragraph counts as a diagnosis.

[@sandgroper1970]

Not just American football, I believe that it ( CTE) was found by a coroner, that a former professional Australian Football League player, who died by suicide? , at the age of 38. Even Rugby League players here have been diagnosed with CTE… I just wonder will we have women diagnosed with this disease, as some are getting involved in Rugby, AFL, or in America, with American Football/ Grid Iron.

[@spiralrose]

A female athlete was recently diagnosed with CTE too

[@Observe555]

Boxing is also a major cause of CTE. Add MMA to the list as well. It’s not just concussions that cause CTE, but repeated blows to the head.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Boxers, you know who they are...

[@jjgreen5206]

Did Boston university diagnosis it? If they did get a second opinion

[@aem870]

2:40 potential schizophrenia symptoms

[@tymeburglar86]

These are cte symptoms. Cte sufferers can experience or exhibit aspects of paranoia, personality disorders, mood disorders, etc

[@mysteryhombre81]

It would be great if we invented some sort of hormone / stem cell therapy, that could dissolve the built up brain plaques and trigger brain regrowth after the fact. That way athletes are their careers were done could live full and healthy lives.

[@sheilabloom6735]

I’ll ions of people love this sport, no matter the destruction it causes.

[@Knwuce83wry]

I’m very sorry for the loss of this bright young man. However, it sounds like he may have been suffering from schizophrenia, which may or may not have been caused by the CTE. For every player that gets CTE, there is one that does not. More study must be done and I think it should be mandatory that if you play football at the collegiate or professional level, you should have to donate your brain post Mortem for research.

[@mgreen351]

Younger athletes need to be having their brains donated because of these injuries to the brain that most parents are not informed of.

[@FredMorrison-g4z]

🙏

[@WalterCruz-USA]

God Bless America.🇺🇲🦅⚡️⚡️💀✝️🙏🏻

[@Jay.B.2046]

❤

[@JEToneAlly]

I feel for these people. However, I've wanted to coach football for a long time. I won't, though, because I cannot morally advocate for a sport I won't let my own sons play.

[@spiralrose]

That’s because you have integrity. I don’t know so much about this guy though

[@mysteryhombre81]

Fairplay buddy. Why not try coach flag.

[@dredey1971]

Some may think, CTE is a given in football. But that is not true. It is a risk. Having children in and of itself is a risk. There is no justification. Life happens. I feel their pain.

[@Observe555]

I love watching football and hard hits, but knowing what we now know about CTE I don’t think playing is worth the high risk of getting brain damage. 90% of college football players whose brains were studied had CTE and 99% of NFL players had CTE. I think since this video was filmed, they’ve determined that it’s not only concussions that cause CTE, but repeated blows to head also cause CTE.

[@dredey1971]

@Observe555 I googled and i see you are correct. CTE is a given. I cant say i change my opinion about the risks and even the risks of having children, but this is new info for me. Thanks.

[@Observe555]

No problem. 👍🏻

[@rgen28]

Flat football 🏈

[@geemcgraff8281]

Hmmmmm

[@cashadder]

I have CTE : Could Tackle Everything.

[@n6a6me6jebus]

Ok boomer

[@deepsy2k]

This is not Footbal, but nvm

[@butterfly_decal]

This isn’t about u, that’s for sure.

[@cashadder]

Get back in the huddle!

[@stanley2837]

I highly recommend people take a look at Derek Prince and his work with demons. Voices in his head? That could come from not playing football but through sin. You let your guard down and a demon can enter someone. Cant blame everything solely on CTE. Hulk Hogan is well and alive through 70 years old yet professional wrestling has claimed a lot of other wrestlers. Life is what you make it and you need God.

[@tristanzegethm.n7649]

Your response is utterly ridiculous and incongruent. Next time: Ensure your response(s) make sense to the topic at hand.

[@JM-yn8mb]

Stanley, you might have CTE buddy

[@odd5557]

​@tristanzegethm.n7649 not really. I mean it makes sense

[@alexanderargead5430]

🤡

[@geemcgraff8281]

The God you worship created evil spirits. The messiah said the God of flesh and blood is not the creator of divine life-force. More so, that your God is the serpent. That is why he demand blood sacrifices.

[@bugballsy8569]

I played baseball as a catcher for 18 years. Took numerous blows to the head, sunconcussive as well as concussive. I don’t have high hopes for myself later

[@numbernine3436]

I'm sorry 🙏

[@imateapot51]

I was a soccer player and I also do not have high hopes.

[@spiralrose]

I hope the two of you get lucky and don’t develop this disease. Hang in there.❤️

[@mysteryhombre81]

Maybe you might be more susceptible to early onset dementia, but you can plan for that future now.

[@CIVISIVA17]

SIAMO COSTRETTI A SCOLLEGARVI PERCHÈ IN EFFETTIVO NON AVETE ALTRO IN TESTA CHE FAR PROSTITUIRE LA CHIAVE LEGATI ALLA MASTURBAZIONE VI RENDETE CONTO CHE RESPONSABILITÀ ABBIAMO E CHE FUTILI PRETESE PRESENTA LA VOSTRA PSICOLOGIA COSA PRETENDETE CHE PENSINO GLI SCIENZIATI?

[@valerygayfullin]

В. ГАЙФУЛЛИН, РОТШИЛЬДУ: ПО НАЦИОНАЛЬНОМУ ПРИЗНАКУ ПРЕСЛЕДУЕТСЯ ТРАМП