A new study of nearly 20,000 NFL players found they were four times more likely than the general population to die of neurodegenerative diseases. The diseases include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.
The researchers looked at players who began NFL careers between 1960 and 2019 and used career and death records to find causes of death. Players who spent more than five years in the league had about double the risk compared with those who played one to four seasons. Players in faster, contact positions had higher dementia rates, while linemen showed lower neurodegenerative deaths.
Difficult words
- neurodegenerative — A disease type that slowly damages the brain.
- dementia — A condition causing memory loss and thinking problems.
- lineman — A player who plays on the line in football.linemen
- risk — The chance that something bad will happen.
- career — A person’s work history over many years.careers
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Are you surprised that NFL players had four times higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases? Why?
- How might playing more than five seasons affect a player’s health?
- Should rules change to protect players in contact positions? Why or why not?
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