Date of Defense

Summer 5-30-2014

Date of Graduation

Winter 12-21-2012

Department

Finance and Commercial Law

First Advisor

Thomas Kostrzewa

Second Advisor

Tiffany Lee

Keywords

football, sports, concussions, lawsuits, NFL, CTE

Abstract

The following document is about concussions in the National Football League (NFL). This thesis explores a principal question; is the NFL doing enough to warn its players about the long-term effects of multiple concussions? I start by covering what a concussion is, how it can be diagnosed e.g., what the symptoms are, and some of the long-term effects on the human brain. Other topics that are discussed include the history of football (including how it was born), the history of professional football (early years up to present time), head injuries in football, litigation, and potential solutions. Most of my research has shown that the NFL could have done more in terms of warning their players about specific long-term illnesses that could, and most likely would, happen if they continued to play after suffering from multiple concussions. However, in the past couple of years, the NFL and its associates have tried to save themselves from litigation by posting warning signs in every locker room. The majority of the citations used in this document come from Google Scholar, and after reading just a few of the former players’ stories, it quickly becomes apparent that they did not know what could happen to them in regards to long-term health.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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