Everyone will have their own opinion on this subject as they should. From the start IMO I thought the concerns of CTE have been over-stated to some degree, while I'm sure many soccer moms' and others will disagree. All I know is from my own experience. MY father passed away just recently shy of 92 and was an all city RB in SF 2 years and in his high school hall of fame. Dad broke his shoulder twice and from an era of leather FB helmets and no faceguards never had any related "CTE" conditions or symptoms. I played FB 4 years in HS as a WR, RB and KO returner and no concussions.
My 2 son's also played FB with one in Pop Warner 4 years' and then through HS and neither ever experienced a concussion [the one in Pop Warner later played QB & DB in HS while the other played DB]. While there is a high rate of dementia in society and while lower & even worse Alzheimer's there is no defined clear cause though possibly a combination of causes. So why is it further down the ladder of brain dysfunctions in that CTE is that Football is the "clear" cause [of CTE].
I guess its like anything & you assess and weigh the risks. I just read a study on vaping as new health concerns are arising of lung and brain inflamation as 8 high school students were recently hospitalized. Another article states HS seniors who vape has risen as high as 37% nationwide, up 9% over the past year with 42% having tried in past. Soph's were at 32% up from 24% and 8th graders' [yes, 8th graders as they do start earlier now] at 18% up from 13%.
So sports of some type, maybe football or "be safe" - vape & play video games and put on the pounds? There are many sports and all good, but football to me is a unique experience and the toughness required along with the comradery & brotherhood among players. Something once you've played you'll remember the rest of your life, or at least I will.
So sad the scare they've put into young parents' about just how dangerous Football is as there are many things in life that carry some form of risk.
