Concussions have long been a hot topic in the NFL, and concerns about them have resurfaced over the last week.
Gisele Bundchen, wife of New England Patriots superstar quarterback Tom Brady, made headlines when she claimed her husband had suffered a concussion last season despite the team saying no such injury occurred. That has led to a back-and-forth debate about what’s true and what’s not true.
Meanwhile, retired Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson also revealed over the weekend that he had suffered concussions during his playing career, but withheld that information from team physicians.
In the face of these new revelations, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has decided to step up and speak out, urging players across the league to swallow their pride and self-report any suspected concussions.
“You can replace a lot of body parts, but you can’t replace a brain,” Roethlisberger told MMQB’s Peter King. “You see the effects of it from past players, players who have taken their lives, the CTE, all that stuff and, you know, I’m thinking about my family and long term. I love this game and I love my brothers that I play football with, and I would encourage any player who has an issue with their brain to just report it properly. … We are blessed to play this game but we also have a life to live.”
Roethlisberger recalled a time in 2015 when he had suffered a concussion and subsequently informed the coaching staff and was pulled from the game. The Steelers went on to lose, but Big Ben felt he made the right decision.
“I’m proud of it,” Roethlisberger said. “I have been just like Drew [Brees] where I haven’t reported things before either. Probably everybody who has ever played the game of football hasn’t reported an injury. For me it wasn’t about an injury — I’ve played through many injuries — but when you talk about your head, that is a different ball game.”
The serious nature of concussions can not be overstated. As more and more is learned about CTE and its long-term impact, it becomes apparent that players should do as Roethlisberger suggests and not risk their lives for a game. At the same time, as he also alludes, that’s a difficult decision for a multi-million dollar athlete to make.
While the NFL will continue to do all they can to both prevent and diagnose concussions, there is an onus that falls to the players themselves. If they’re not feeling quite right, it is in their best interest to report their symptoms.
