Mike Webster was a Hall of Fame (HOF) center who competed in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs from 1974 through his retirement at age 38 in 1990. Twelve years later he passed away at a youthful age of 50.
The cause of his death wasn’t known for 36 months. Then, in 2005, neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu published the first evidence of the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE as it’s commonly referred to today) in the brain of a football player, that being Mike Webster. So little was known by the medical community back then about CTE and its potential health impact. Was this a one-off case, or was it the beginning of an epidemic, caused by repeated brain trauma, that would forever change the landscape of football?
Back in the day, I don’t believe that physical and mental well-being were high in the consciousness of the NFL. When a player experienced a hard hit to the head, sometimes “seeing stars” as a result, it was proudly referred to as having one’s “bell rung.” More times than not, those experiencing symptoms of the condition continued to play, later not remembering another snap after the episode. Back then, it was commonplace for an offensive lineman, like Webster, to have his helmet ferociously slapped by an opposing defender. HOF defensive lineman David “Deacon” Jones of the Los Angeles Rams famously employed the head slap, creating mayhem for his o-line foes.
My two sons, Geoffrey and Mitchell, first laced up their football cleats as 14-year-old high school freshmen, respectively in 2000 and 2003. They skipped youth football. Why? First, they exceeded Pop Warner weight limits. Second, studying for their Bar Mitzvah took precedent. When they entered the fray, CTE wasn’t on the radar screen. There was nothing to discuss. No need to have a conversation between my wife and me nor with our boys to evaluate the potential risks of playing the sport.
Fast forward to today. It’s 2025 . . . almost 2026. In the intervening decades, much has changed. Geoffrey and Mitchell have concluded successful NFL careers and have done so without suffering any concussions . . . at least to my knowledge. As I shared in my memoir Raising Giants – My Extraordinary Journey with TWO NFL Sons, I’m not sure I’ve been privy to a complete accounting of all the injuries suffered by the guys. But for now, I’m going to continue, maybe naively so, to believe that fortunately neither suffered a concussion during their playing days.
On the other hand, I’m sure I experienced a concussion. I believe I was 17 years old. While playing in a high school basketball game I elevated to snatch a rebound when my legs were cut from underneath me by an opponent. I fell to the unforgiving wooden floor, landing on my back while also slamming my head on the hardwood. OMG! It hurt like hell. As I recall, that was the end of my playing time that night. The 60-minute ride on a rickety old school bus was excruciating. My head was pounding the entire ride back to school. When I finally arrived home, my parents called a doctor. They were advised to wake me every two hours for evaluation. And that was it. Today, I would be placed in some sort of concussion protocol because, no doubt, I had my bell rung that night.
Mitchell took a very proactive approach to protecting himself during his college and NFL careers. I’m sure those who have watched football have observed the slapping of helmets by teammates as a congratulatory gesture for a good play. Mitchell made it crystal clear that that was verboten, both by verbal warning to his teammates but also, when his words of caution weren’t adhered to, quickly shifting his head out of the way of the oncoming whack.
In 2008, six years after Mike Webster’s death, based on a report I stumbled upon, only 45 cases of CTE had been identified in literature . . . published 40 years earlier and most being boxers. Little was still known about CTE, especially in the football world. But that was about to change. That year Dr. Ann McKee was recruited to launch the UNITE Brain Bank, a collaboration of three organizations, including the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF), to begin the necessary research to understand the malady.
Over the next 13 years, more than 1,000 families donated the brains of their loved ones for study and research. (You see, one of the greatest challenges of CTE is that currently the only way to identify the brain’s deterioration is through a post-mortem autopsy.) The research team has published more than 100 studies that have redefined what’s known about the long-term effects of brain trauma.
Beginning in 2017, several studies published discussed the extent and impact of CTE, focusing on football players. The results are, frankly, alarming. For example, one study determined that 177 out of 202 deceased former players were diagnosed with some degree of CTE. That’s 87%!
I could continue providing statistic after statistic but I believe you get the idea. CTE is not only here to stay but has the potential to expand and afflict hundreds, maybe thousands, more, possibly altering the very fabric of collegiate and professional football.
While so much more is known about CTE because of the extensive research being conducted, so much is still unknown. For instance:
- Why are some players impacted but others not?
- Similarly, why are some afflicted with the disease still highly functional while others fall into depression, experience mental illness, take their own lives?
- Is CTE a result of an accumulation of softer hits or the consequence of a limited number of high impact blows to the head?
- Mike Webster played in the days when performance-enhancing drug use was prevalent. How much did/ does that contribute to the onset or degree of CTE?
- Is CTE preventable?
The football community, from the NFL down through the ranks, has taken steps attempting to reduce head trauma and thus possibly the instances of CTE. Some actions include:
- As mentioned above, the NFL outlawed head slaps.
- Concussion protocols have been established to prevent players from participating until independent medical professionals deem them healthy to do so.
- Targeting penalties, primarily enforced in the NCAA, involving purposeful helmet-to-helmet contact lead to ejections and possible suspensions.
- Kickoffs in the NFL have been schematically adjusted to prevent concussive downfield hits.
- Specialized soft-shelled helmet covers, known as Guardian Caps, engineered to reduce concussive impacts, are available.
− The jury is still out. Some reports suggest a degree of effectiveness while others claim there are no tangible benefits. Chris Nowinski , CEO of the CLF, painted a visual for me. Whether protected by a hard helmet or with the additional protection of a Guardian Cap, neither really can prevent the brain from banging around inside one’s skull upon impact.
− And many NFL players oppose wearing a Cap. Some decline simply because they look ugly. Being chic over health?!?
So, here’s the $64,000 question of the day as alluded to in the title of this piece. What would my wife and I do today if confronted with a decision about letting our offspring play the game of football? Not sure I can answer that question objectively.
First, do I have history in my back pocket? Second, would I have two genetically mutated athletic sons who yearned to play the sport? It would be almost impossible to ignore the incredible experiences of the 20 years spent emersed in the boys’ football careers.
Trying to be as objective as possible, here’s how I would address the question. Parents, please listen.
- Accept that CTE is a thing, is here to stay.
- My kids would not play youth football . . . under any circumstances!
− Geoffrey has been very vocal about this when asked the question about my grandson playing football as a youngster. “Not a chance.” I concur. Why not?
• Their bodies are simply not strong enough for all the contact, particularly their necks attempting to hold up those helmets. NFL helmets weigh between 4 to 6 pounds. Youth versions 3 to 4.5 pounds. Not much different and look at the neck specific weight lifting endured by professionals to strengthen their necks.
• In many cases coaching is subpar. While likely well-meaning, many youth coaches do not teach proper techniques that would reduce potential trauma to the brain and body.
• But most importantly, youth brains are still in their formative years. The helmet-to-helmet contact is not good for developing brains. Research shows repeated impacts disrupt brain development. As Chris Nowinski shared, studies indicate one year of youth football can cause the same amount of trauma to the brain that one NFL season can inflict. Let that sink in.
- High school participation. This is where the rubber meets the road.
− No longer can decisions like this be made in a vacuum. There’s way too much information available about the potential harm of playing football to ignore. Parents, you have an obligation to spend whatever time is necessary to thoroughly investigate before any decision is made.
• The first participant in the Brain Bank study to pass away played tackle football for eight years – youth through high school. No college. No NFL. Yet, when his brain was autopsied, he was diagnosed with stage 4 (of 4) CTE.
• Remember the recent tragedy when a shooter attempted to kill NFL personnel at their New York City headquarters? In his suicide note, the 24-year-old targeted the league, blaming the NFL for his mental health problems, suspecting CTE was the cause. An autopsy confirmed that he indeed suffered from CTE. And he only played at the high school level.
− Should parents conclude, after a thorough evaluation and holding true to the 7th Pillar from my “Playbook for Success” (It’s not about you, the parent. Divorce yourself from your emotional baggage. Make decisions about them for them.), that it’s OK for your offspring to play football, then you have another very critical decision to make. Do you involve your son(s) in the process? This is a very personal decision. Are they mature enough to understand the issue(s) and contribute to the decision-making process? It is their life. Or does the onus fall strictly on the parents who should be more capable of considering all options and all possible ramifications?
Keep in mind that this is an irrevocable decision. Research has unequivocally proven that brain trauma begins at the beginning . . . possibly with the first hit. Once in motion, there’s no turning back . . . at least with what’s currently known. So, I can’t stress this enough. Determining whether your offspring will play football must be a very conscious and educated decision.
Are there options if the determination is to stay away from traditional football? Of course. There are other sports that don’t require the same physical contact as on the gridiron. Flag football is becoming an acceptable alternative. It employs many of the same strategies and takes advantage of many of the same skill sets as seen on a football field. (The Summer Olympics will debut flag football competition in 2028.) But the number of leagues are limited for boys and flag may not satisfy the aggressive urges that traditional tackle football quenches.
This blog was never intended to be a comprehensive commentary about the game of football, about CTE as a disease and/or the connection between the two. It’s one parent’s reflection and introspection. Conditions and knowledge have alarmingly changed since our family set out on our journey some 20 years ago. So what’s the purpose of this effort? Simply to implore parents possibly heading toward a similar journey to adhere to the proverb “Let the buyer beware” (otherwise known as Caveat Emptor). Step into this world of football with eyes wide open.