Sports
POLL: Do You Want Your Kids to Play Football?
After the New Orleans Saints bounty program and Junior Seau's suicide captured headlines, former NFL players say they wouldn't encourage their kids to play. What do you think?
The offseason headlines for our nation's most popular sports league, the NFL, have been taken over by the violent nature of football.
Junior Seau's suicide has raised questions about a healthy life—both mentally and physically—after football, and the New Orleans Saints' bounty programs in which players were paid to hurt the opposition have highlighted the dangerous aspects of the game.
With this in mind, would you let you kid play football? Vote in the poll below.
Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
It's been a question asked in the media frequently this offseason. ESPN football writer Ashley Fox says the answer for her son is a definite "No."
"There is no way I'm letting my beloved boy play the game at any level," Fox wrote in a recent ESPN column. "Football is not an option for him. It is too violent, and the ramifications of head injuries suffered while playing at all levels are too great."
Find out what's happening in New Lenoxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Fox goes on to cite the positive aspects of football, but also quotes former greats Troy Aikman and Kurt Warner, who said they wouldn't encourage their children to play the sport because of its violence.
Last year, Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed before returning to practice or playing in future games.
“Our goal is the safety of our student-athletes," said Ted Robbins, athletic director at , in a previous article. If we can help to prevent some concussions through improved parent, coach and athletic education, and improved diagnostic tools, then we are working toward achieving that goal.”
Parents have debated this topic on Patch before, but with the recent events in the NFL, will it impact the decisions you make at a local level?
You might also enjoy reading:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.