A League of Their Own

League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis, is a 2013 documentary film based on the book League of Denial by Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-Wade.  The film outlines the story former football players suffering from neurological illness after retirement and what the National Football League as well as the scientific community knew about the potential harmful effects of the game. 

            The film provides specific examples from the experience of the players, their loved ones and the scientists conducting research to emphasize the severity of the disease.  One telling point is provided by Dr. Robert Stern, a neuropsychologist at Boston University.  When discussing players hitting their heads during games and practices he states “Those things seem to happen 1,000 to 1,500 times a year.  Each time that happens it’s about 20 Gs or more.  That’s the equivalent of driving a car 35 miles per hour into a brick wall” (League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis. PBS Frontline, 2013).  This point demonstrates the violent force of every single impact on the brain.

            A second point is a story about former player Mike Webster, who is featured prominently in the documentary.  Garrett Webster, his son, relays an incident where his father Mike, who is living in his pick-up truck, said “I’m cold and I don’t realize I can fix it by putting a jacket on.” (League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis. PBS Frontline, 2013).  This situation emphasizes the cognitive impairment Webster is experiencing.

            Another point in the film about the potential for brain injury comes from Dr. Ann McKee.  When asked if she would allow her young children to play football she says no and when pressed by the interviewer she states “It’s dangerous and it could impact their long term mental health.” (League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis. PBS Frontline, 2013).

            On the other side of the spectrum, the film also left some questions that could be explored further.  Chris Nowinski is a prominent figure in the film as he works to locate and procure the brains of former NFL players for scientific research.  Chris, is a former college football player and professional wrestler who admitted to numerous head injuries both on the field and in the ring.  As the film gives small focus to his wrestling exploits, it could have expanded its focus to pro wrestlers and other athletes from other sports who suffer potential head injuries.

            The film also doesn’t spend enough time on some of the unanswered questions about the causes of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).  Dr. Henry Feuer who at the time was with the Indianapolis Colts, said in reference to Dr. McKee “she cannot tell me where it’s starting.” (League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis. PBS Frontline, 2013).  This point is echoed by another NFL team doctor and is an important aspect of the CTE story.  If not every player has it why do some get it and others not?

            A final point that plays into the discussion of CTE is whether other substances can contribute to the cause.  Dr. Maroon, who was a team doctor with the Pittsburgh Steelers, added that many of the players who had their brains examined by Dr. McKee abused alcohol, steroids and other substances and wondered if those substances were a contributing factor to the formation of CTE.

            The film ties to the reading by Almond in a very specific way.  When referencing linebacker Harry Carson and his play against Mike Webster, the narrator says “Hall of fame linebacker for the New York Giants, Harry Carson, went to WAR with Mike Webster.”  In his writing, when Almond describes how the players talk about the game he says “They talk about being in the trenches, going to war, all that martial jargon.” (Almond).  The war analogies are common when discussing football, from the players to the commentators and I’m not sure why.  Football is a game and if someone wants to know about war they should talk to someone coming home from the Middle East or a surviving service member of World War II.

            In the reading by Bazerman, the author discusses ethical gaps in organizations and discusses the Challenger space shuttle disaster.  Morton Thiokol was a NASA contractor and was relied upon to make a decision regarding the safety of a launch during cooler temperatures.  According to Bazerman “Against the objections of their own engineers, the four Morton Thiokol senior managers present voted to recommend the launch.”  This example from NASA and Morton Thiokol is tied to Groupthink.  Bazerman identifies Groupthink as “the tendency for cohesive groups to avoid a realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action in favor of unanimity.”  The NFL and its Mild Traumatic Brain Injury committee seem to stick together and deny any wrong doing or any linkage between football and brain injury which does not appear to entertain any alternative courses of action.

            In his writing Easterbrook mentions many reforms for safety in football.  In regards to youth football he states “tackle football should not be played until age thirteen or until 8^th grade. (Easterbrook).  This ties in with Dr. McKee’s comments from League of Denial when she states she would not let her children play football if they were 8 and 10 years old.

              When applying ethical theories to the NFL public relations team and the journalists covering the story it appears that the journalists were abiding by the “Love thy neighbor as thyself” from the Christians reading.  The journalists are actively trying to uncover any potential fraudulent behavior by the NFL which would invariably help any current and former NFL players.

            The NFL public relations team, assumed to be under direction of the Commissioner, may be using the third theory from the Christians essay which is Utilitarianism.  The theory is described “to determine what is right or wrong by considering what will yield the best consequences for the welfare of human beings” (Christians).  The NFL owners will continue to make enormous sums of money and the fans will continue to worship the game at the expense of the players who in this case are the minority.  The welfare of human beings will be the ability for the NFL to continue make money and provide a product they want to provide.

            The first theory from the Christians reading is where the NFL public relations team and the journalists should converge.  “Moral virtue is a fixed quality of the will, consisting essentially in a middle state, as determined by the standard that a person of practical wisdom would apply” (Christians).   If the journalists and the NFL worked together to discuss the concussion issue with a moral integrity there would be less corruption and deceitfulness from either side.

            In the end, the League of Denial film raises many questions about the ethical practices of the NFL.  If the NFL knew football could cause CTE why didn’t then admit it?  Or if they didn’t know why didn’t they work harder to find an answer?  In all honesty, more science does need to be done before it can be determined why CTE is showing up in some deceased football players and not others.