The issue of concussions and football has been coming to a head for some time. In late 2015 an editorial in The AAN's journal "Neurology" noted a "societal conversation about the risks of contact sports" had been instigated by the alarming incidence of concussion-related brain trauma in such activities.

On March 13, 2015, Chris Borland, a star rookie linebacker on the San Francisco 49ers, announced his early retirement from professional football, citing concerns about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Borland, who had a history of 2 diagnosed concussions, walked away from a multimillion-dollar contract and potential sports superstardom, explaining that, "from what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk."


Perhaps just as surprising as Borland's announcement was the support he received from teammates and other athletes – support that reflects a growing recognition in the athletic community that repetitive head trauma may be associated with CTE and other forms of dementia," Dr. Brian Edlow and Dr. Holly Hinson stated in their editorial in the journal last October.

In August, 2013, the NFL settled, for $765 million, a lawsuit brought by 4,500 players and families over charges the league had hidden its knowledge of the impact of repeated blows to the heads of athletes.

“The settlement seems low considering the number of claimants and the severity of their conditions, but it also shows the uphill climb in proving the league was responsible for the players’ injuries,” University of Illinois law teacher Michael LeRoy told the New York Times. “The league is keenly sensitive to its public image. It changes the conversation and really lets the air out of the publicity balloon.”

This latest study, however, may re-inflate that balloon — and reignite debate about whether football's athletes can ever be adequately protected from traumatic brain injury.

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