Blasting blow after blow can take its toll on all football players. Every play demands contact against the opponent. With excessive contact and collisions at rapid pace, no human being can withstand the effects on his body. Football demands full attention and effort because of the constant intensity it requires. The games demanding focus results in split second decisions such as sprinting in a certain direction or lunging to make a tackle. Spectators watch the demanding hits players take and deliver each time the ball is snapped. These crucial hits over time create problems for players currently playing or years after his career. It is no secret for fans watching that these players face tremendous pain through gigantic blows causing injuries …show more content…
Football consist of dangerously high hits that are not only lethal to victims of the collision, but also the person delivering the hit. Often times with these helmet to helmet collisions, players are diagnosed with a concussion. Moreover, there are a number of other ways players can receive concussions during the course of a football game. More common in skill positions such as running backs, receivers, or defensive backs, players become defenseless or vulnerable to a lethal hit while chasing for a ball unknowing of when the hit may occur. When a player is defenseless and is hit off-guard, it is often common for his neck to whip back; furthermore, when a player is tackled down to the ground, …show more content…
The hits effect both the tackler and the ball carrier. Over time, tackling can cause nerve or joint damage to the neck and shoulders of defenders. Ball carriers also lead with their shoulders, which can cause the same injuries, but they often receive lower blows to the knee area which cause several injuries to players. For example, a former running back, Marcus Lattimore, was targeted by a defender leading helmet first into his knee. “Lattimore spent his rookie season last year on injured reserve after tearing major ligaments in both knees during college at South Carolina” (McCauley). These particular injuries should be eliminated from the game. Players are knowledgeable of the areas they are targeting while tackling opponents. Players should stop leading with their helmets in tackling for both parties. Helmet leading into knees should be penalized which my halt players from causing accidents such as Marcus Lattimore’s injury. There are hundreds of former players who have had similar injuries such as Lattimore’s injury. Often players retire early because of the contact football demands. Over years of playing football the body wears down on athletes. The game takes effect, enabling the regular body functions people encounter daily. Former players have trouble carrying groceries due to nerve damage in their shoulders or