@Augustus
Not really. I had my ACL reconstructed when I was 20 or 21, and it's 100% and still with no pain (I'm 44). I'm not too worried about debilitating body pain. Plus, I lean a little towards Hunter S. Thompson's quote about life:
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
@Riggerjack
It wouldn't be surprising at all if he enjoyed playing in college more than the NFL. It probably goes from being fun to being a job quicker than one would hope.
@Laura Ingalls
I had seen that. Single cases aren't good examples. I'm sure we could find single cases of brain damage or major injury from just about anything, including people just slipping and falling. I'm not saying there isn't increased risk and I'm not suggesting I'm not concerned. However, issues like this always build in the public for a long time and then it's like a damn bursting. No one was concerned at all for decades with football and the brain, and now everyone is. Could it be serious enough to end football? Maybe, but the studies so far are really just measuring those with symptoms, not the overall population. This leaves a lot of open questions. Are these people that would have developed these mental issues anyway? It's not like this doesn't happen all the time with people as people age. Maybe it speeds it up for them? Do pole vaulters get CTE from continually landing on that mat from 15 feet away? Do long jumpers get it with all the abrupt stops from the jumps? Catchers? Bicyclists from falls? Etc. We just don't know.
This study tentatively showed it in baseball, basketball, and other sports that have nowhere near the contact that football, hockey, etc. do. But, again, it's not the best study.
https://thinkprogress.org/new-study-fin ... f972f0e732
So, "How safe do you want to play life?" is the real question. Then go from there.
Like I pointed out in my previous post, I'm not against making reasonable changes to reduce the risk. No reason not to start taking precautions while this is studied.