Does the NFL have...

[vuweathernerd]

a suicide epidemic?

Junior Seau was found unconscious by his girlfriend according to ESPN with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police are investigating as a suicide. I know some of the heightened media exposure is due to the publicity these men were exposed to during their college/pro days, but does the NFL have an epidemic on its hands?

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7882750/junior-seau-former-san-diego-charger-found-dead-cops-probe-suicide

[StlVUFan]

a suicide epidemic?

Junior Seau was found unconscious by his girlfriend according to ESPN with a gunshot wound to the chest. Police are investigating as a suicide. I know some of the heightened media exposure is due to the publicity these men were exposed to during their college/pro days, but does the NFL have an epidemic on its hands?

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7882750/junior-seau-former-san-diego-charger-found-dead-cops-probe-suicide

Yep.  It's call CTE, from what I hear.

OK, to be fair, I can't say "epidemic" is the right word -- yet.  Might be premature.  Then again, it might not be.

[valporun]

Stl, this kind of 'epidemic' has been happening over time. Not always with recent retirees, but I'm sure it has something to with diagnosed and undiagnosed concussion symptoms over the years. Some of the concussions older former players endured led to bouts of depression, dementia, and other ailments that they couldn't handle themselves, and didn't know who to talk to about them, so the only thing they could find to do to get away from them was to end their lives. It's horrible this is happening, but with all the changes made to the equipment and physicality of the game, especially in the strength and conditioning aspect with the advancement and enhancement of the technology of the weight programs and the speed aspect of the game, the hits will only get harder and unhealthier as long as the league officiers/officials don't do anything to combat this problem. This is the same issue you're seeing with the concussions in the NHL. With all the changes in technology and speed training, the hits are coming harder and faster than ever before, and that's why you have seen players missing almost entire seasons due to concussions and headaches. They just don't know how to combat this situation effectively enough for the players to agree to in  the Collective Bargaining Processes come CBA talks.

[StlVUFan]

Believe me -- and I'm at best a casual Bears fan, not an NFL fan at all -- I've been keeping up with this issue (not exhaustively, but I've heard a lot of the news and issues because WSCR's afternoon program has kept on top of it over the years -- one of the few redeeming aspects of afternoon drive on 670).

As soon as I read that Seau shot himself in the chest, I immediately thought of Dave Duerson (actually, I thought him before I read that, wondering if it was going to be the same thing).  Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the sport die off, and I wonder if it will some day, though I'm sure Texas will have something to say about that

[covufan]

Believe me -- and I'm at best a casual Bears fan, not an NFL fan at all -- I've been keeping up with this issue (not exhaustively, but I've heard a lot of the news and issues because WSCR's afternoon program has kept on top of it over the years -- one of the few redeeming aspects of afternoon drive on 670).

As soon as I read that Seau shot himself in the chest, I immediately thought of Dave Duerson (actually, I thought him before I read that, wondering if it was going to be the same thing).  Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the sport die off, and I wonder if it will some day, though I'm sure Texas will have something to say about that

I was thinking the same thing about Duerson as well.  I had not heard about Seau's chest until a little later.

My thoughts are that the NFL needs to really look at these head injuries, and become an advocate for investing in head injury research.  As a young fan in the late '70s, and playing a little bit at the time, I don't recall the leading of the head used in tackling the way it has been the last 15-20 years.  I think most helmet to helmet contact many years ago was at the line of scrimage, not at full speed.  Many of those players probably did not have consusions, but rather an ambudance of smaller hits that lead to some kind of brain injury.  Those years of playing that way are taking its toll right now. 

My thoughts are with the Seau family, and others suffering the changes that may have been caused by too many hits to the head.

[blawson]

Interesting news. Haven't seen this before so thanks for sharing.