Dangers of the NFL – CTE

There are some very obvious and some hidden dangers of the NFL. There is a new movie out on Netflix about Aaron Hernandez, called "Killer Inside". While it is mostly about Hernandez's life, we can know a lot about CTE from the third episode. While online sportsbooks in the US are offering live streams and live bets on NFL games, it worth to think about the risks of the game. One of the best platforms for live betting and watching streams is 1xBET.com. Sure boxing is dangerous too and athletes are willingly taking the risks, however, at a boxing game, the judge and the doctors and the corners have a great responsibility to stop the fight when necessary. The question that occurs here is that the NFL was denying the fact that American Football can lead to brain damage for decades. Thus, the athletes didn't really have the chance to make that choice that boxers' have.

What is CTE?

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy occurs after repeated head injuries. It's a neurodegenerative disease and its symptoms are varying from mood problems to dementia and suicidal intents. Contact sports are the most well-documented cases where it happens such as boxing or American football, however, many people fulfilling military duties are going through the same disease. Dangers of the NFL are more well known as we have more data due to the improvement of scientific researches.

After Hernandez was finishing his life his family was offering his brain for scientific research. The thing with CTE is that you can't really diagnose it until death. An autopsy can give a clean diagnose. What they were finding in Hernandez's head was shocking. In the third episode of Killer Inside, Ann Mckee, Director of Boston University CTE Center, said that he never has seen something so developed in a brain of a man of his twenties. Mckee is convinced that the disease must have to do its work for over 10 years.

Dangers of the NFL are leading to legal issues

The scientists of Boston University were observing the brains of 111 NFL players and they were finding CTE in 110 cases. There are many former players who were suing the NFL, saying that their health problems are connected with the damages they were suffering during the games. There are many famous former NFL players who were committing suicide, their families are suing the league aswell. Such as Dave Duerson, Andre Waters, and Ray Easterling.

Homicide and CTE

The movie is not arguing that Hernandez was committing the homicides due to his mental state was altered by CTE. However, it is very important to give this disease a wider recognition. While Hernandez's story is very complex starting with a harsh childhood and excessive alcohol and drug abuse, CTE was putting its weight on the scales for sure.

The risks of a contact sport are most of the time quite obvious for a sportsman. However, it is a must to give them all the information so they are able to make their own decisions. If we think about Muhammad Ali, we wouldn't say that he didn't know or didn't accept the risks when choosing the professional heavyweight boxing career. However, according to his ringside doctor Dr. Pacheco, if he quits or fights stopped a bit earlier he could have lived a better life at the end. Online sportsbooks in the US are offering numerous options to make bets on contact sports. However, maybe you should just pick something like pinball for yourself and live a quiet life. On 1xBET you can bet on the outcome of the Pinball World Championship. Don't misunderstand me, American football is a great game, thus, the leagues should protect their players from the dangers of the NFL.