The Ugly Truth

When former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson committed suicide in February, he wrote a note requesting that his brain be donated to the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. He thought he might have suffered brain damage from numerous concussions during his NFL career and 24 years of playing football.

He was exhibiting the classic symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: memory problems and anger issues. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of pushing his wife during an argument. In recent years, his business declared bankruptcy and lost his home to foreclosure.

Researchers found that he had suffered from at least 10 concussions, including some where he lost consciousness. Duerson committed suicide by shooting himself in the heart. He requested that his brain be donated for study.

The NFL has contributed $1 million to the research center. They have also initiated rule change to address the concussion issues.

Head trauma is the deep ugly issue that the league is making a token effort at addressing. The violent nature of the game causes human train wrecks on nearly every play.

In twenty years, I suspect the players of today will be greatly effected by degenerative brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head.