The National Football League concussion committee was an
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
head, neck and spine medical committee from 2007 to 2010. Statements from the former co-chair Dr. Ira Casson on concussion and injury have received national attention.
It is best known for its denial, against medical proof, of the existence of
chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head. The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets worse o ...
and its link to
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
.
NFL research
In March 2007, Casson reported conclusions of research conducted by the NFL committee, denying that head injury is linked to
long-term brain damage, depression, dementia, or any other serious brain disorder in NFL players. He told the ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' that research reporting the contrary conclusion was "virtually worthless". He left the NFL in 2010 and has been called "Dr. No" as a result of his one-word answers in a critical interview on the subject of football head trauma.
Casson's statements have been roundly criticized by other physician experts in brain damage.
See also
*
Concussions in American football
Concussions and play-related head blows in American football have been shown to be the cause of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has led to player deaths and other debilitating symptoms after retirement, including memory loss, depress ...
*
National Football League controversies
The National Football League (NFL) is the premier professional American football league in the United States, and is also one of the major North American professional sports leagues. However, the NFL is not without its share of controversies. Thr ...
* ''
Concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
'': A 2015 film about the concussion issue based on the exposé "Game Brain" by
Jeanne Marie Laskas
Jeanne Marie Laskas (born September 22, 1958) is an American writer, journalist, and professor.
Career
Laskas is the author of eight books, including ''To Obama: With Love, Joy, Anger, and Hope'' (2018), based on a ''New York Times Magazine'' a ...
References
{{reflist
Committees
Neurotrauma
Concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...