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Timeline: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis

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October 8, 2013, 9:57 pm ET by Lauren Ezell

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S U P P O R T P R O V I D E D B Y

What did the NFL know and when did it know it? To help answer that question we’ve created a dual chronology, with growing scientificconcern about the link between football and brain disease on the left-hand column, and the NFL’s public statements on the right. Click ona year to learn more.

1994 1995 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

1994

1994

NFL CREATES MTBI COMMITTEE

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue creates the Mild TraumaticBrain Injury committee, and appoints New York Jets teamdoctor and rheumatologist Dr. Elliot Pellman as chair, despitelacking any previous experience in brain science.

When asked about the issue of concussions in 1994, Pellmantells Newsday:

“‘We discuss it on the list of things every time we have a leaguemeeting … We think the issue of knees, of drugs and steroidsand drinking is a far greater problem, according to the numberof incidents.”

Pellman also tells Sports Illustrated that “concussions are part ofthe profession, an occupational risk.”

January 1994

TROY AIKMAN’S CONCUSSION

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman takes a knee to thehead during the 1993 season NFC Championship game, landinghim in the hospital that night.

Aikman later tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he can’tremember the game:

“I didn’t know what planet I was on. I still to this day have norecollection of ever having played in that game. So whenever Isee footage of that game, it’s like somebody else is out theredoing it.”

Aikman’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, visited him in the hospital thatnight and recalled the story to FRONTLINE.

WATCH SCHEDUL E CONNECT TOPICS ABOUT SHOP TEACHER CENTER

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1995

October 1994

MERRILL HOGE RETIRES DUE TO

CONCUSSIONS

Citing the dangers of returning to football after sustainingseveral concussions, Chicago Bears fullback Merrill Hogeannounces his retirement from the NFL. Two weeks earlier, hehad taken a knee to the head, leaving him briefly unable torecognize his wife or brother.

Hoge tells Sports News: “This is messing with your brain.”

December 1994

COMMISSIONER TAGLIABUE

DISMISSES THE CONCUSSION

PROBLEM

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue describes concussions as a“pack journalism issue” during a panel on the future of sports:

“On concussions, I think is one of these pack journalism issues,frankly… There is no increase in concussions, the number isrelatively small… The problem is a journalist issue. “

February 1995

LEIGH STEINBERG SOUNDS A

WARNING

With growing concern for the health of his clients, LeighSteinberg, agent to star quarterbacks Troy Aikman and SteveYoung, holds a seminar on the effects of concussions inNewport Beach, Calif. Players listen to a panel of medicalexperts describe the symptoms and dangers of concussions.

San Diego Charger Gary Plummer tells The Press Enterprise: “Bytheir standards, I must’ve had 200 concussions.”

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1997

1999

March 1997

NEW RETURN-TO-PLAY GUIDELINES

The guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology saythat repetitive concussions can cause brain damage, andsuggest that players be removed from the game if they loseconsciousness or exhibit any concussion symptoms 15 minutespost-injury.

“Repeated concussions can cause cumulative brain injury in anindividual over months or years,” the report warns.

April 1999

MIKE WEBSTER CLAIMS FOOTBALL

GAVE HIM DEMENTIA

After years of struggling with cognitive problems, Mike Websterfiles a disability application with the NFL Retirement Board,claiming his NFL football career caused him to have dementia.

September 1999

STEVE YOUNG KNOCKED OUT COLD

49ers quarterback Steve Young is knocked out for 30 secondsduring a game against the Arizona Cardinals. It would beYoung’s last NFL game.

October 1999

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2000

NFL RETIREMENT BOARD RULES MIKE

WEBSTER PERMANENTLY DISABLED

The NFL Retirement Board rules that Mike Webster’s headinjuries from his years playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers andKansas City Chiefs left him “totally and permanently” disabledas “the result of head injuries he suffered as a football player.”The ruling isn’t made public until it’s uncovered byFRONTLINE/ESPN reporters Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-Wada.

Webster’s attorney, Bob Fitzsimmons, says the ruling showsthat the league should’ve known there was a link betweenfootball and brain damage.

“It’s pretty devastating evidence,” he said. “If the NFL takes theposition that they didn’t know or weren’t armed with evidencethat concussions can cause total disability — permanentdisability, permanent brain injury — in 1999, that evidencetrumps anything they say.”

December 1999

MTBI CHAIR SAYS SERIOUS BRAIN

INJURIES ARE A RARITY IN THE NFL

Dr. Pellman tells The Chicago Tribune that the MTBI committee’sstudies have found that brain injuries in football are relativelyuncommon and minor. The paper reports:

“After four years of keeping close track of head injuries, Pellmanclaims the numbers have remained ‘remarkably the same’throughout the league. He said there are about 180 ‘incidents’per year of mild traumatic brain injury. ‘We’re talking themajority are minor injuries,’ Pellman said.”

May 2000

RESEARCH SUGGESTS

CONCUSSIONS MAY LEAD TO

NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS

While cautioning that their study was based solely on surveys,Dr. Barry Jordan and Dr. Julian Bailes present startling results atan annual meeting for the American Academy of Neurology.Science Daily summarized their findings:

“When compared to players who did not report anyconcussions, the group with one or more concussions reportedsignificantly more neurological symptoms. These includedproblems with memory and concentration, confusion, speechor hearing difficulties, numbness or tingling in extremities, andheadaches.”

May 2000

MTBI MEMBERS QUESTION RETURN

TO PLAY GUIDELINES

The New York Times reports that MTBI committee members,along with many NFL doctors, are criticizing the AmericanAcademy of Neurology’s 1997 return-to-play guidelines, citing alack of research to support them.

“We don’t know whether being knocked out briefly is any moredangerous than having amnesia and not being knocked out,”committee member and neurologist Dr. Mark R. Lovell tells theTimes. ”We see people all the time that get knocked out brieflyand have no symptoms,” he added. ”Others get elbowed, goback to the bench and say, ‘Where am I?’”

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2001

2002

September 2000

DALLAS OWNER SAYS AIKMAN

SHOULD IGNORE CONCUSSION

CONCERNS

Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones tells ESPN that he’d pushAikman to ignore concussion concerns if it was a key game“since all data that we have so far don’t point to lasting effects,long-term effects from the head trauma.”

April 2001

TROY AIKMAN RETIRES

Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys Troy Aikman announceshis retirement, citing his concussions and back problems.

2002

DR. BENNET OMALU EXAMINES MIKE

WEBSTER’S BRAIN

Because Webster was suffering from mental problems,Allegheny County medical examiner Dr. Bennet Omalu decidesto take a closer look at Webster’s brain, eventually discovering

the first evidence of a brain disease that had never beenpreviously identified in football players, Chronic TraumaticEncephalopathy, or CTE.

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2003

2004

November 2003

RESEARCHERS WARN ON

CONCUSSIONS

Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz, a sports medicine researcher at theUniversity of North Carolina, publishes a paper suggesting thatrepeat concussions may lead to slower recovery of neurologicalfunctioning:

“Our study suggests that players with a history of previousconcussions are more likely to have future concussive injuriesthan those with no history; 1 in 15 players with a concussionmay have additional concussions in the same playing season;and previous concussions may be associated with slowerrecovery of neurological function.”

November 2003

MTBI CHAIR SENDS KNOCKED-OUT

PLAYER BACK INTO GAME

According to a report by ESPN, New York Jets receiver WayneChrebet gets knocked out cold during a game against the NewYork Giants. Dr. Elliot Pellman, the Jets’ team doctor, who is alsohead of the NFL’s Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee,examines him, and sends him back into the game.

October 2003

NFL BEGINS PUBLISHING RESEARCH

IN SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL

The first of 16 scientific papers by the MTBI Committee, ispublished in the journal Neurosurgery along with a guest editorialby NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Tagliabue writes:

“We salute our Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee for itsleadership and the individuals involved in this project who putin so many hours of work. We are confident that this importantnew information will continue to advance the cause ofimproving the safety of profession and amateur athletes on alllevels.”

January 2004

MTBI COMMITTEE SAYS MOST

CONCUSSED PLAYERS RECOVER

QUICKLY

The MTBI committee publishes a paper in Neurosurgeryemphasizing that the NFL’s concussion problem is relativelysmall:

“A total of 92% of concussed players returned to practice in lessthan seven days … More than one-half of the players returnedto play within one day, and symptoms resolved in a short timein the vast majority of cases.”

September 2004

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JUSTIN STRZELCZYK DIES

After complaining of depression and behaving erratically,former Pittsburgh Steeler Justin Strzelczyk dies in a fiery carcrash at age 36. Dr. Omalu later examines Strzelczyk’s brainand finds CTE.

October 2004

MTBI DISPUTES RESEARCH ON

EFFECTS OF REPEAT CONCUSSIONS

The MTBI committee publishes a paper in Neurosurgery disputingGuskiewicz’s findings. According to the committee:

“They [Guskiewicz et. al.] concluded that there may be anincreased risk of repeat concussive injuries and there may be aslower recovery of neurological function after repeatconcussions in those have a history of previous concussions.The results of this present NFL study do not support thoseconclusions.”

The committee also notes that although brain disease fromheads hits is seen in other athletes, such as boxers, there’s nosign of such disease in pro football players.

November 2004

MTBI SAYS NFL PLAYERS ARE LESS

SUSCEPTIBLE TO BRAIN INJURY

The MTBI committee’s fifth paper in Neurosurgery stirscontroversy. It suggests that NFL players have evolved to astate where their brains are less susceptible to injury:

“One of the other processes that may account for some of

these differences between NFL players and the generalpopulation might be deemed to be a type of artificial selection.Most NFL players have been involved with organized footballsince junior or senior high school and on through college. It iswell known that MTBIs occur at all these levels of the sport. Forwhatever reasons, certain individuals undoubtedly are moreprone to MTBI than others. Some individuals are more prone todelayed or poor recovery after MTBI. These groups may overlap.It is likely that many of these individuals will stop playingorganized football before reaching the professional level. Theyare ‘selected out’ either of their own volition or because theirhead injuries prevent them from continuing to participate in

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2005

head injuries prevent them from continuing to participate inthe sport. As a result of this winnowing process, those playerswho ultimately play in the NFL are probably less susceptible toMTBI and prolonged post-concussion syndrome than thegeneral population.”

January 2005

MTBI SUGGESTS RETURN TO PLAY

DOESN’T INCREASE INJURY RISK

The MTBI committee publishes another paper in Neurosurgery,concluding that:

“Players who are concussed and return to the same game havefewer initial signs and symptoms than those removed fromplay. Return to play does not involve a significant risk of asecond injury either in the same game or during the season.”

The committee goes on to argue that its findings might applyto younger athletes.

“Under the right circumstances, specifically with regard to finaldecision making on return to play being solely at the clinicaldiscretion of a knowledgeable team physician, it might be safefor college/high school football players to be cleared to returnto play on the same day as their injury. The authors suggestthat, rather than blindly adhering to arbitrary, rigid guidelines,physicians keep an open mind to the possibility that thepresent analysis of professional football players may haverelevance to college and high school players.”

June 2005

TERRY LONG COMMITS SUICIDE

Forty-five year-old former Steeler Terry Long commits suicideby drinking antifreeze. Dr. Omalu later examines his brain, findsCTE.

July 2005

OMALU PUBLISHES HIS CTE

FINDINGS

Dr. Bennet Omalu publishes his findings of chronic traumaticencephalopathy (CTE) in Mike Webster’s brain in the journalNeurosurgery.

October 2005

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2006

October 2005

STUDY TIES CONCUSSIONS &

DEMENTIA

Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz and Dr. Julian Bailes publish a study inNeurosurgery concluding “that the onset of dementia-relatedsyndromes may be initiated by repetitive cerebral concussionsin professional football players.”

January 2006

MTBI MEMBER SAYS OMALU USES

“FALLACIOUS REASONING”

Steelers team doctor and future member of the MTBICommittee, Dr. Joseph Maroon, tells the Pittsburgh Post-Gazettethat Omalu’s conclusion that Terry Long’s suicide may havebeen the result of depression caused by head injuries during hiscareer in football was “fallacious reasoning.”

“To go back and say that he was depressed from playing in theNFL and that led to his death 14 years later, I think is purelyspeculative,” Maroon told the paper. He added:”He could havehad a head injury that wasn’t reported before football. He couldhave had a fight, he could have had a head injury … And that’swhy I’m saying it’s so speculative.”

May 2006

MTBI MEMBERS CALL FOR

RETRACTION

Dr. Elliot Pellman, along with MTBI committee members Dr. IraCasson and Dr. David Viano, request that Neurosurgery retraceOmalu’s CTE paper.

“Omalu et al’s description of chronic traumatic encephalopathyis completely wrong,” they write. “The diagnosis of a chroniccondition requires a medical history indicating a long-standingnature of the illness … Such a history is completely lacking inOmalu et al.s’ report.”

November 2006

OMALU PUBLISHES SECOND CTE

PAPER

Dr. Omalu publishes his second paper after finding the diseasein the brain of former Steelers player Terry Long. As with MikeWebster, he links Long’s NFL career to his brain damage:

“Our first and second cases both had long careers withoutmultiple recorded concussions. Both manifested MajorDepressive Disorder after retirement.”

November 2006

ANDRE WATERS COMMITS SUICIDE

Former Philadelphia Eagles player Andre Waters commitssuicide at the age of 44. Dr. Omalu later examines his brain andfinds CTE.

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2007

February 2007

PATRIOTS PLAYER’S STORY RAISES

QUESTIONS ABOUT RETURN TO PLAY

Former New England Patriots player Ted Johnson tells The NewYork Times that in the wake of his retirement, he suffers frommemory loss, an addiction to amphetamines and agoraphobia.He dates his problems to two concussions he suffered within aweek in August 2002 and says that Coach Bill Belichick sent himback on the field for regular contact play four days later, againstthe advice of the team’s trainer. Belicheck later told The BostonGlobe that Johnson should have told him if he wasn’t able topractice. “If Ted felt so strongly that he didn’t feel he was readyto practice with us, he should have told me,” Belichick said.

February 2007

GOODELL VOICES CONCERN OVER

RETURN TO PLAY

The league’s new commissioner, Roger Goodell, discusses theTed Johnson story during his annual “State of the League”address, stating: “I don’t accept the premise that [returningfrom concussions] was common practice, but it does concernme.”

Goodell also points to the MTBI committee as proof of theleague’s commitment to concussion research and player safety.

February 27, 2007

PELLMAN RESIGNS

Dr. Pellman steps down from his position as head of the MTBICommittee and is replaced by two co-chairs: Dr. Ira Casson, aneurologist, and Dr. David Viano, the director of the SportsBiomechanics Lab at Wayne State University.

May 2007

RESEARCH SHOWS CONCUSSED

PLAYERS AT RISK FOR DEPRESSION

Dr. Julian Bailes and Dr. Kevin Guskiewicz release a study on therisk of depression in retired NFL players based on a survey ofmore than 2500 former players. The paper, published in theOfficial Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine,concludes:

“… Professional football players with a history of three of moreconcussions are at a significantly greater risk for havingdepressive episodes later in life compared with those playerswith no history of concussion.”

May 2007

MTBI MEMBERS CRITICIZE NEW

DEPRESSION RESEARCH

Members of the MTBI committee criticize the paper by Bailesand Guskiewicz for relying on surveys. “Survey studies are theweakest type of research study — they’re subject to all kinds oferror and misinterpretation and miscalculation.” Committeechair Dr. Ira Casson told The New York Times. And Dr. HenryFeuer, MTBI committee member and a medical consultant forthe Indianapolis Colts, told the Times that the study was“virtually worthless.”

May 14, 2007

NEW MTBI CHAIR NICKNAMED “DR.

NO”

During an interview on HBO Real Sports, Dr. Casson adamantlydenies any evidence of a link between head injuries in NFLplayers and depression, dementia or any other long-termproblem resulting in brain damage. The interview earns him thenickname “Dr. No.”

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June 2007

NFL HOSTS CONCUSSION SUMMIT

New NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell calls the first league-

wide Concussion Summit; attendees include the NFL’s owndoctors as well as outside scientists.

A number of outside researchers, including Dr. Bailes and Dr.Guskiewicz, present their findings on the dangers ofconcussions. Dr. Bailes says his research was dismissed by MBTIcommittee members.

During a press conference following the summit, Goodell toutsthe accomplishments of NFL doctors and champions theconference as an example of the league’s continued stepstowards a better understanding of the science behind headinjury.

“And I think one thing that troubles me sometimes, when I seemedia reports, is that this is something that, all of a sudden,we’ve started to focus on,” says Goodell. “We’ve had thiscommittee for 14 years. We have done terrific work. And ourdoctors, our scientists have been working at this diligently. Sothis is not something that’s come to us new.

MBTI committee chair Dr. Ira Casson, meanwhile, tellsreporters:

“In my opinion, the only scientifically valid evidence of a chronicencephalopathy in athletes is in boxers and in someSteeplechase jockeys. It’s never been scientifically validlydocumented in any other athletes… Anecdotes do not makescientifically valid evidence. I am a man of science. I believe inempirically determined scientifically valid data. And that is notscientifically valid data.”

September 2007

NFL ISSUES CONCUSSION PAMPHLET

The pamphlet says that current research on the long-termimpact of concussions is inconclusive:

“Current research with professional athletes has not shownthat having more than one or two concussions leads topermanent problems if each injury is managed properly. It isimportant to understand that there is no magic number forhow many concussions is too many. Research is currentlyunderway to determine if there are any long-term effects ofconcussions in NFL athletes.”

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2009

January 2009

SCIENTISTS CRASH THE SUPER

BOWL

Dr. Ann McKee, Chris Nowinski and a team of scientists fromthe newly formed Center for the Study of TraumaticEncephalopathy hold a press conference in Tampa, where theworld’s sports media is gathered for the Super Bowl.

At the press conference, they announce several new cases ofCTE, including in Tom McHale, who died of a drug overdose atage 45, as well as in the brain of an 18-year-old high schoolstudent who died 10 days after suffering his fourth concussion.

May 2009

MCKEE MEETS WITH MTBI

COMMITTEE

Dr. McKee presents her findings to Dr. Ira Casson and membersof the MTBI committee at NFL headquarters in New York. Dr.McKee says that the panel was dismissive of her and herresearch. “It was like, ‘Oh, the girl talked. Now we can get back tosome serious business,’” she told FRONTLINE.

Committee member Dr. Henry Feuer told FRONTLINE that Dr.

McKee’s research did not indicate a specific cause for CTE andcould not show the prevalence of the disease, given that herfindings were based solely on case studies.

“I just have a problem. Ann McKee, she cannot tell me where it’sstarting. We don’t know the cause and effect. We don’t knowthat right now. We don’t know the incidence,” Feuer said. “Shewas seeing only those that were in trouble. And we know thatthere are thousands roaming around that are not havingproblems. So, I think, that’s where we may have had an issue.

September 2009 September 2009

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September 2009

STUDY FINDS FORMER PLAYERS ARE

19 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO GET

DEMENTIA

In a front-page article, The New York Times reports that an NFL-funded study of retired players has found that former playersare 19 times more likely than the general population to havedementia, Alzheimer’s or other memory-related diseases.

September 2009

NFL SAYS STUDY IS FLAWED

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello criticizes the NFL-funded study. AsThe New York Times reports:

“An N.F.L. spokesman, Greg Aiello, said in an e-mail messagethat the study did not formally diagnose dementia, that it wassubject to shortcomings of telephone surveys and that ‘thereare thousands of retired players who do not have memoryproblems … Memory disorders affect many people who neverplayed football or other sports,’ Mr. Aiello said. ‘We are trying tounderstand it as it relates to our retired players.’”

October 2009

ON CAPITOL HILL, THE OUTSIDE

SCIENTISTS PRESENT THEIR CASE

Dr. Ann McKee and others present evidence of CTE in footballplayers during a Congressional hearing. Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) tells Goodell that the league’s response to the problemreminds her of the tobacco industry’s handling of the linkbetween smoking and health problems in the 1990s.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) tells Goodell: “We have heardfrom the NFL time and time again. You are always studying, youare always trying, you are hopeful. I want to know, what are youdoing now?”

October 2009

COMMISSIONER GOODELL INSISTS

THE NFL IS STUDYING THE PROBLEM

Goodell is asked during his congressional testimony if there is alink between football and brain damage. He responds that heisn’t best suited to answer the question, but that the NFL iscommitted to continuing to research the problem and iscurrently taking step to improve player safety.

November 2009

SHAKE UP ON THE MTBI COMMITTEE

Dr. Ira Casson and Dr. David Viano resign from the MTBIcommittee. In a memo obtained by the Associated Pressfollowing their resignation, Commissioner Goodell said that hewanted to find new members “who will bring to the committeeindependent sources of expertise and experience in the field ofhead injuries.”

In March 2010, the league installs neurological surgeons Dr. H.Hunt Batjer and Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen as co-chairs of therenamed “Head, Neck and Spine Committee” and appoints Dr.Kevin Guskiewicz as a member.

December 2009

NFL SPOKESMAN ACKNOWLEDGES

CONCUSSIONS’ LONG-TERM EFFECTS

NFL Spokesman Greg Aiello tells Alan Schwarz from The NewYork Times that “it’s quite obvious from the medical researchthat’s been done that concussions can lead to long-termproblems.”

This is the very first time the league admits that concussionshad long-term effects.

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2010

December 2009

NEW RETURN-TO-PLAY GUIDELINES

The league announces stricter return-to-play guidelines, statingthat any player that exhibits symptoms of a concussion shouldnot return to play on the same day.

January 2010

NFL MAKES BOSTON UNIVERSITY ITS

“PREFERRED” BRAIN BANK

In addition to donating $1 million towards their research efforts,the NFL writes a letter stating they will make Dr. McKee’s Centerfor the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy the “‘preferred’brain bank of the NFL” for future research on the brains ofdeceased NFL players.

Dr. McKee told FRONTLINE that she was surprised by theunexpected gift. “A CBS reporter wanted to know what Ithought of the gift of a million dollars. That was the first I heardof it,” she said. “I was floored.”

July 2010

THE LEAGUE WARNS CONCUSSIONS

“CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE” FOREVER

The NFL produces a poster to be hung in locker rooms warningthat concussions “may lead to problems with memory andcommunication, personality changes, as well as depression andthe early onset of dementia. Concussions and conditionsresulting from repeated brain injury can change your life andyour family’s life forever.”

September 2010

CTE FOUND IN COLLEGE PLAYER

Dr. McKee and the BU group report the first case of chronictraumatic encephalopathy in a college football player, 21-year-old Owen Thomas, sparking national headlines. Thomas hadnever been diagnosed with a concussion, raising fears that CTEin his case was caused by the subconcussive hits that happenedin the course of his football career.

September 2010

NFL GIVES $30 MILLION FOR

RESEARCH

NFL announces a $30 million donation to the NationalInstitutes of Health for research into brain trauma.

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2011

2012

February 2011

DAVE DUERSON COMMITS SUICIDE

Former Chicago Bears player Dave Duerson commits suicide byshooting himself in the chest and leaves a note asking for hisbrain to be studied: “Please, see that my brain is given to theNFL’s brain bank.” Duerson is later diagnosed with CTE by Dr.McKee.

March 2011

NFL CHANGES KICK-OFF RULES

The NFL moves up kick-offs by five yards to the 35-yard line inhopes of reducing the speed of collisions during kickoff.

August 2011

PLAYER FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST NFL

Former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling files a lawsuitagainst the NFL. He will later be joined by more than 4,500other former players who claim that the league engaged in a“concerted effort of deception and denial” in its handling of thescience of concussions and brain trauma.

October 2011

DR. MCKEE BRIEFS CONGRESS ON

CTE

Dr. McKee presents the Owen Thomas case before Congressand warns of the dangers of sub-concussive hits, which can beasymptomatic. “We really have to address the way sports areplayed,” she says.

2012

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2012

2012 NFL SEASON SEES A 14% RISE IN

CONCUSSIONS

FRONTLINE reports that despite rule changes designed toreduce concussions, the 2012 season marked a 14 percentincrease in concussions from the previous year.

April 2012

RAY EASTERLING COMMITS SUICIDE

Former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, whose legalaction against the NFL was joined by thousands of otherplayers, commits suicide by shooting himself at the age of 62.He is later diagnosed with CTE.

May 2012

JUNIOR SEAU COMMITS SUICIDE

The linebacker shot himself in the chest at age 43, two yearsafter retiring. FRONTLINE and ESPN report that after Seau’sfamily was contacted by Omalu as well as McKee’s BU group,the NFL steered his brain toward researchers at the NationalInstitutes of Health. The NIH later diagnoses Seau with CTE.

August 2012

NFL FUNDS YOUTH CONCUSSION

AWARENESS INITIATIVE

The NFL announces it’s funded Heads Up Football, a new USAFootball initiative to promote safety and concussion awarenessin youth football.

November 2012

DR. MCKEE PRESENTS RESEARCH AT

SPORTS CONFERENCE, FACES

CRITCISM

Dr. McKee presents her findings of CTE in 33 of the 34 brains offormer football players that she’s examined at the annualConference of Concussion in Sport hosted by FIFA, theinternational soccer federation, in Zurich.

McKee faces sharp criticism at the conference, particularlyaround the question of a causal relationship between footballand CTE and questions of prevalence when her research isbased solely on case studies.

November 2012

GOODELL SPEAKS ABOUT

CONCUSSIONS

The NFL commissioner speaks about player safety at theHarvard School of Public Health. He emphasizes the league’sfocus on making the game safer, but he also points out thatthere are still unanswered questions when it comes to the long-term impact of concussions:

“In recent years, there has been a much sharper focus onconcussions in football and other sports. There are stillunanswered questions, but scientists and doctors know moreabout concussions and their long-term potential effects thanthey did even a few years ago. The key issue for us is how we use

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2013

based solely on case studies.

McKee told FRONTLINE that she’s aware that she’s only seeing asmall sample.

“I think to be truthful, even a selection bias in an autopsysample, even if the family of an individual who is affected ismuch more likely to donate their brain, than a person who hasno symptoms whatsoever,” she said, “given that, we have stillbeen just ridiculously successful in getting examples of thisdisease.

they did even a few years ago. The key issue for us is how we usethis new understanding to make the game even safer and moreexciting in the future.”

January 2013

NFLPA FUNDS $100 MILLION STUDY

NFL Players Association announces it will fund a $100 millionHarvard Medical School research initiative into the healthproblems that affect current and former football players. Theinitiative’s focus is broad and includes heart problems and jointand skeletal injuries, as well as head trauma.

January 2013

NFL ANNOUNCES NEW CONCUSSION

SAFETY MEASURES

The NFL announces that an independent neurologist will beplaced on the sidelines of every game. The move follows theintroduction of concussion assessment protocols designed by

the Head, Neck and Spine committee including “a symptomchecklist, a limited neurological examination including acognitive evaluation, and a balance assessment” for players.

April 2013

FORMER PLAYERS CALL NFL ACTIONS

A ‘SHAM’

Hearings take place on whether lawsuits filed by over 1/3 ofretired NFL players claiming the league fraudulently concealedfootball’s dangers to their brains will be litigated. Lawyers forthe former players argue the league profited by glorifying theviolence of the game and “set up a sham committee” that“spread misinformation” about neurological risks inherent infootball.

April 2013

LEAGUE DENIES WITHHOLDING

DATA

At a press conference following a hearing on 4500 retiredplayer’s pending lawsuits against the league, a lawyer for theNFL states:

“We strongly deny those allegations that we withheld anyinformation or misled the players.”

August 2013

NFL ANNOUNCES MORE RULE

CHANGES

The league releases a video explaining new NFL playing rules.Included is a ban on “crown of the helmet” hits outside of thetacklebox – designed to reduce high impact hits to the head.

August 2013

A SURPRISE SETTLEMENT

The NFL agrees to pay $765 million to settle the lawsuit withretired players. As part of the settlement, the league doesn’tadmit any wrongdoing.

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admit any wrongdoing.

In the days following the settlement, Commissioner Goodellreiterates that “there was no admission of guilt. There was noadmission that anything was caused by football.”

As of October 2013, lawyers are still determining how theproceeds will be used for former players. ESPN has reportedthat any retired player who died before 2006 would beexcluded from the settlement, and that it’s unclear if there isenough money to cover the players that do qualify.

September 2013

PROBLEMS REMAIN DESPITE NEW

CONCUSSION PROTOCOLS

Jets player Jeremy Kerley suffers a blow to the head during week1 of the 2013 NFL season. After passing the mandatoryconcussion evaluation he returns to the game. The followingday Kerley is diagnosed with a concussion.

October 2013

CTE RESEARCH CONTINUES

Dr. Ann McKee, Dr. Omalu and other scientists continue tostudy CTE in former athletes. McKee tells FRONTLINE she’sfound CTE in the brains of 45 of the 46 former NFL playersshe’s examined.

E - M A I L T H I S Tweet 30 21.3kRecommend 11

R E L A T E D

April 2, 2014 / 12:16 pm

FRONTLINE Wins Peabody

Award for “League of Denial”

January 30, 2014 / 4:31 pm

NFL Concussions: The 2013-14

Season In Review

January 14, 2014 / 3:59 pm

Judge Rejects $765 Million NFL

Concussion Settlement

November 7, 2013 / 4:37 pm

Three Former NFL Stars

Diagnosed With Telltale Signs

of CTE

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Liz Hunter • 6 months ago

It's a sad situation that money is more important than human lie's and their welfare. What do they need to prove that concussions are

real.

Favorite

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•

real.

3

•

gwarseneau • 6 months ago

Big Tobacco all over again.

1

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