Fall of Our Heroes

In the wake of Junior Seau’s passing, the NFL has been under fire for the amount of players who have committed suicide in the past few years. This is the most heart breaking part of any true fan. No one wants to see their heroes deteriorate into a shell of their former selves. Retirement is hard enough to deal with for people with office jobs, imagine no more screaming fans, no more lights, no more playing the game you love. Most players are left with the feeling of what now? Luckily some players can make that transition smoothly into post-NFL life with many becoming announcers or analysts. However, what about those who did not have the dynamic personalities of Michael Strahan or Troy Aikman? Who is there to help them?

This is becoming a serious concern for future players who know their future in the league is coming to an end sooner than later. So how do we prevent future tragedies like that of Andre Watters and Mike Webster? Is there a way to prevent players from getting concussions in such a physical sport? Well, if we want to keep the game as exciting as it is then no. So is it the players fault since they know what they are signing up for? I am sure most people would not allow their sons to go into the NFL then. Does this mean we banish the NFL entirely? Maybe the league should spend more time looking into the effects of concussions, but how is that going to help players currently struggling? It doesn’t, so it seems that we are stuck in a Catch 22 because no one wants to get rid of football, but no one wants to see their heroes fall. So what do we do?