Some around the NFL were stunned with Baltimore offensive lineman John Urschel, a promising young talent, elected to retire in the wake of medical study.
The medical study indicated that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was found in nearly 99 percent of deceased NFL players' brains that were donated to scientific research.
Urschel, a doctoral candidate in applied mathematics, didn’t want to risk possible injury to his brain.
The Falcons have not had any players come forward with specific CTE concerns, but they addressed the issue with the entire team.
“We’ve had none of those conversations here regarding a player,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “On the first day, we do a good bit on the reporting and the information on that.”
The Falcons teach leverage-based or rugby-style tackling, which keeps the head out of contact.
“We are going to try to teach it safe, and I’m hopeful that the way we bring the issue out that it goes to college,” Quinn said. “It goes to high school and it goes pop warner (youth football). I think that’s happening.”
In decades past, a lot of players learned how tackle with their helmet and head as part of the action.
“There was a time maybe within the last five or six years where it took a hit at the youth level,” Quinn said. “I think we’re making a good comeback knowing that we are teaching things safely. As a coach, you can appreciate that knowing what the game can mean to so many boys and girls who are playing. I’m glad the word is out that we’re teaching it safely.”
In recent years, the NFL has overhauled how it evaluates concussions. The NFL settled a concussion class action lawsuit and the Aug. 7 deadline is approaching former players to register with the claims administrator.
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