
The Autopsy That Changed Football
October 6, 2013, 8:06 am ET · by Jason M. BreslowWhen Dr. Bennet Omalu found CTE in the brain of Steelers legend Mike Webster, he believed NFL doctors would want to know more. They didn’t.
![]() STORIES![]() The Autopsy That Changed FootballOctober 6, 2013, 8:06 am ET · by Jason M. BreslowWhen Dr. Bennet Omalu found CTE in the brain of Steelers legend Mike Webster, he believed NFL doctors would want to know more. They didn’t. ![]() NFL Commissioner Highlights Safety Record In Letter To FansOctober 3, 2013, 2:37 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe letter, sent to roughly 10 million fans, comes one day after the release of two book excerpts detailing the NFL’s checkered response to football’s concussion crisis. ![]() How One Client’s Concussion Shook the Real “Jerry Maguire”October 2, 2013, 2:00 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowAs an NFL super agent, Leigh Steinberg saw it all, especially when it came to injuries. But of all the hard hits he ever witnessed, there was one that especially frightened him: Troy Aikman’s concussion. ![]() Concussion Watch: NFL Head Injuries in Week 4October 1, 2013, 10:07 am ET · by Jason M. BreslowWeek 4 of the NFL season saw at least five players removed from games because of possible head injuries, as well as an intriguing update on an injury from week 3. ![]() Concussion Watch: NFL Head Injuries in Week 3September 25, 2013, 10:09 am ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe third week of the NFL season saw at least seven players removed from games because of possible head injuries. ![]() For the NFL, Focus on Concussions Yields Mixed ResultsSeptember 24, 2013, 12:20 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowDespite a new emphasis on player safety, a FRONTLINE analysis found NFL concussions on the rise in 2012, as half of players returned from their injuries without missing a game. ![]() Report: NFL Concussion Settlement Could Shut Out ManySeptember 20, 2013, 3:46 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe very first players to be diagnosed with football-related brain damage may not allow any compensation, according to a new report. ![]() NFL Reaches $765 Million Settlement In Concussion LawsuitAugust 29, 2013, 4:57 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe NFL has reached a settlement with more than 4,500 former players who were suing the league for allegedly concealing a link between traumatic brain injuries and professional football. ![]() A Note from FRONTLINE: ESPN and “League of Denial”August 22, 2013, 5:17 pm ETYou may notice some changes to our League of Denial and Concussion Watch websites. ![]() Questions Over NFL Doctor Cloud League’s Concussion CaseAugust 18, 2013, 10:03 am ET · by Steve Fainaru and John BarrAs the former chairman of the NFL’s powerful research arm, Dr. Elliot Pellman helped shape the league’s concussion guidelines, yet as a rheumatologist, he had no previous expertise in brain research. ![]() What Are the Youth Football Laws in Your State?August 13, 2013, 11:21 am ET · by Jason M. BreslowSince 2009, every state except for Mississippi has enacted legislation designed to minimize the risk of football-related head injuries. ![]() FRONTLINE Investigates the NFL’s Concussion CrisisWhat did the NFL know about the connection between football and brain injuries, and when did they know it? ![]() Coming Soon on FRONTLINE: “League of Denial”August 6, 2013, 2:58 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThis fall, FRONTLINE will air a special two-part investigation examining whether the NFL has covered up the risks of football on the brain. ![]() Legal Battle Over NFL Brain Injuries Ordered Into MediationJuly 10, 2013, 2:24 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowA federal judge is delaying her ruling on the NFL’s request to dismiss the case brought by more than 4,200 players so that both sides can explore whether a “consensual resolution is possible.” ![]() NCAA Lawsuit Asks, Should Student-Athletes Be Paid?June 20, 2013, 1:03 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowPlaintiffs in the case, O’Bannon v. NCAA, argue that they are entitled to a portion of the revenue the NCAA earns by licensing the “likeness” of players in broadcast rights and video games. ![]() NFL Helmet Manufacturer Warned On Concussion RiskMay 1, 2013, 10:50 am ET · by Sabrina ShankmanDespite the warning, Riddell promoted its Revolution helmet — used by players from youth leagues up to the NFL — as providing better protection against concussions. ![]() In Brawl For Seau Brain, a Proxy War Over Concussion ScienceApril 29, 2013, 11:15 am ET · by Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-WadaThe NFL’s intervention in the fate of Junior Seau’s brain — the most prized specimen yet in the race to document the relationship between football and brain damage — was part of an aggressive strategy to dictate who leads the science of concussions. ![]() At Start of NFL Concussion Case, a Focus On Workplace SafetyApril 10, 2013, 4:42 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowShould former NFL players be able to sue the league for brain injuries they suffered on the field? That question was the focus of a preliminary hearing Tuesday into concussion litigation filed by more than 4,000 NFL veterans. ![]() NFL Concussion Litigation Faces An Early Courtroom TestApril 8, 2013, 2:34 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowA preliminary hearing this week will determine whether more than 4,000 former players can sue the NFL in court for allegedly concealing the link between football and brain damage. ![]() Concussion Researchers Consulted With NFL Players’ LawyersApril 5, 2013, 10:55 am ET · by Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-WadaThe disclosures come as oral arguments begin Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia on the NFL’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit, which involves more than 4,000 former players who allege the league concealed the effects of football-related head trauma. ![]() With Eye on Concussions, NFL Adopts New Rule on Helmet HitsMarch 22, 2013, 4:12 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowIn an effort to reduce the number of head injuries that occur on the field, NFL owners have approved a new rule that will penalize players from striking opponents with the crown of their helmets. ![]() NFL Concussions: The 2012-13 Season In ReviewFebruary 1, 2013, 2:15 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe past NFL season saw more than 160 players go down with a head injury. Along the way, there have been landmark breakthroughs in brain research, a high-profile wrongful death lawsuit, and even a commentary on violence in football by President Obama. ![]() Obama’s Concerns Focus Super Bowl Talk On Player SafetyJanuary 29, 2013, 3:13 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe president said that if he had a son, he’d think twice about letting him play football. His comments, which have spurred a range of reaction from players, come amid an NFL season in which 170 concussions have been reported on team injury reports. ![]() Family of Junior Seau Files Wrongful Death Suit Against NFLJanuary 23, 2013, 4:17 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe family Junior Seau is suing the NFL, claiming the linebacker’s suicide last May was caused by head trauma he sustained over more than 20 seasons in the league. ![]() New Study Finds Brain Damage in Living Ex-NFL PlayersJanuary 22, 2013, 2:09 pm ET · by Steve Fainaru and Mark Fainaru-WadaIt’s the first time researchers have identified signs of the crippling brain disease known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, in living patients. ![]() Junior Seau Suffered Chronic Brain Damage, NIH Study FindsJanuary 10, 2013, 12:00 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowThe former NFL linebacker, whose suicide stunned the football world, suffered from the same chronic brain condition that has also been documented in the brains of 50 deceased players, NIH researchers have found. ![]() Concussion Watch: Wild Card Weekend RoundupJanuary 7, 2013, 5:29 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowNearly 10 players per week were diagnosed with a concussion during the NFL regular season, but that figure is poised to hit zero when the first injury report to reflect postseason action is released later this week. ![]() Concussion Watch: Week 17 RoundupJanuary 2, 2013, 2:21 pm ET · by Jason M. BreslowAt least 10 players left games with possible head injuries on the last day of the NFL regular season Sunday, but because only playoff teams will continue releasing injury reports through next month’s Super Bowl, no more than three of those injuries can be officially tallied. |
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