The NFL's Moral Calculus (1 Viewer)

[new city champ]

Over the year's we've all shared different issues we have with the NFL--from Bounty Gate, to PED's, to things like domestic violence and child abuse. But nothing currently threatens my longterm support of professional football--both as a viewing fan and a season ticket holder--more than how the league is treating its former players, many now beset by crippling degenerative injuries and brain trauma.

I know all the arguments grounded in, for lack of a better term, "assumption of the risk," and they don't cut much ice with me as I see a league that, despite drowning in cash from modern television and digital rights deals, still stalls, stonewalls and denies care to former players. Additionally, it's wrong to say that these players understood the longterm risk of degenerative brain injuries during the time they played. This was not known and when it became apparent to the league that there was a clear connection between the repeated head trauma in football on afflictions like CTE, they actively covered it up then downplayed the risk, which they continue to do.

The NFL--The Shield--needs to get serious about helping former players deal with the physical debilitation resulting from pro football or I, for one, will probably find it harder and harder to be a fan of the game. We all know football is a violent sport and most 22-year-olds think they are going to live forever. It's not enough to say they "knew the risks" and turn your back. Some larger part of the ten-of-billions in revenue from the sport need to go into medical care and support for former players. It's a moral issue. Below is a link to SI's current story on the struggles of Hall-of-Famer Nick Buoniconti and how the league treats its former players.

https://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2017/05/08...cognitive-decline-nfl-head-trauma-concussions

 

[platinumvinnyv]

The problem is that is the risk worth reward. I know few years ago I would be tell yeah no kids all that money, approaching 30 in like I dunno bad health, family members constantly begging, taxes, alimoney, child support, media, people constantly judging, debt, the need to be accepted, possible early mental problems,.. sometimes I'm like it's not worth it. That's why you gotta love the game.. I worked with a 2 time superbowl winner 49ers. Tore his knee always tells me when his song was young didn't want to play footbal

 

[bigdog]

The NFL, led by commissioner Roger Goodell looks like jack***** in the way they have denied head injuries to football players. It looks like big tobacco back in the day when they denied that cigarette smoking was a cause for cancer. It's ridiculous.

 

[BillA]

It is all about money; nothing else.

 

[dutar76]

The NFL, led by commissioner Roger Goodell looks like jack***** in the way they have denied head injuries to football players. It looks like big tobacco back in the day when they denied that cigarette smoking was a cause for cancer. It's ridiculous.

The NFL is 32 billionaires that pay a guy to be the commisioner. He does what they tell him and is hated because of it. I'd say it's a sucky job except that he gets stupid rich and makes zero decisions. If they need a guy after Goodell... I hope they holla at me.

Big tobacco followed laws passed by congress to make cigarettes addictive and dangerous. Congress AND big tobacco got rich and the peanuts they paid are exactly that... peanuts.

Good comparison Tobacco and football... Same end-results. Billionaires area billionaires for a reason. Go to bat with them and you lose, even when you win. Such is life.

 

[jessy]

The NFL makes so much money they should provide insurance for life.

 

[CRESS_137]

The NFL is responsible for all of these player's health.

Especially when they have known about this, lied about knowing about this and are now trying to steer the discussion with false research and their PR machine.

Makes me question watching the games, and the example I am setting for my child by doing so.

 

[dtc]

The NFL makes so much money they should provide insurance for life.

So do the owners of Walmart.











Just saying.

 

[new city champ]

If employees at Walmart were paid to smash into each other at high-speed for the purposes of entertainment and owners made insane amounts of money from that activity, I'd expect the company to at least cover the medical costs their employees incurred for treating the injuries they sustained.

 

[St.Dan]

The concussion lawsuit and the fiasco of the bounty suspensions was a direct result of the NFL not giving a damn about player health over the course of a few decades. The league should have always been paying for the health situations of its retired players. And not all those players involved in the suit were truly in dire straits healthwise or otherwise, either. Some were, some weren't.

 

[bobad]

If employees at Walmart were paid to smash into each other at high-speed for the purposes of entertainment and owners made insane amounts of money from that activity, I'd expect the company to at least cover the medical costs their employees incurred for treating the injuries they sustained.

As long as employees of any job are aware of the dangers and accept the risk and pay/benefits, they are free to work where they please. I would not want to live in a world where the sports media and anti-football people decide what job I can or cannot have.


I keep hearing the NFL does not give a rip about player health. That's just totally false. Some people mindlessly follow the anti-combat sports narrative. Everyone from the waterboy to the owner care about the players on their team.

 

[JustaSharkie]

Morals become very blurry when money is involved. It's corrosive....

Human problem, yes no?!?

 

[bobad]

Football fans have no standing to criticize the NFL because the players get injured. It's beyond hypocrisy, because they are the ones paying the player's salaries.

If you really think about it, anti-football people are calling the players stupid. They are much smarter than given credit for. They know the risks.

 

[MissippiWhoDat]

Some larger part of the ten-of-billions in revenue from the sport need to go into medical care and support for former players. It's a moral issue.

I would argue it's a moral issue to pass a law forcing someone or businesses to pay for something against their will unless they've caused someone or someone's property harm. So, I don't think they should have to do anything with the profits THEY'VE earned that they don't want to (going forward). However, they did cover up legit studies on brain damage and lied about consequences of head trauma for years, so I think a huge lawsuit for damages should be levied against the NFL to pay former players that were harmed by their actions.

 

[MissippiWhoDat]

The NFL makes so much money they should provide insurance for life.

Why not just pay them the maximum value their job is worth then let them decide what they want to purchase on the free market like an adult?

The point of view that the government should step in and meddle with contracts between citizens really irks me. Are people not smart/responsible enough to make their own decisions?