Getting Warmer

As I'm sure you are aware, the NFL is at the crossroads of an epidemic. It's not an epidemic in the traditional sense as say Staph Infections, or Astroturf causing an increase in ACL blowouts or other permanent knee damage. The epidemic the league faces is much scarier than that, simply because it's striking very closely to the center of what the game of football stands for. The epidemic is permanent brain damage compounded with early death, and it's an even more serious a threat to the NFL than the upcoming lockout in 2011.

At the forefront of this epidemic is Chris Nowinski. If you're not familiar with the Arlington Heights, IL native, you can learn more about his involvement (Part I, Part II, Part III) as a Concussion Expert in this HBO Real Sports special that aired earlier this year. While he was initially rebuffed by the NFL three years ago when he first tried to bring this problem to their attention, the NFL is certainly listening to him now, and taking action. Thanks in large part to his brain studies, nobody is able to deny that there is a definitive link with depression, early onset of Alzheimer's, and other brain damage due to the amount of concussions and general hits to the head a typical NFL player endures throughout their career. As such, many active players have agreed to not only spread awareness of Concussions but also donate their brains to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University in order to further their pursuits to combat this epidemic.

Even more important than those actions, is the NFL and it's teams have dramatically increased their awareness and treatment of players who may have suffered a concussion. The days of "rub some dirt on it" are no longer prevalent when it comes to players complaining of "dizziness", nor will they dismiss big hits as "getting his bell rung". Teams take no chances with possible concussion cases anymore...which leads me to Hunter Hillenmeyer.

Hillenmeyer was put on Injured Reserve today by the Chicago Bears ending his season. This is an interesting situation because Hillenmeyer is the Bears Union Player Rep, who has been very active regarding the awareness of Concussions throughout the league. Hunter is also one of those active players that has volunteered his brain to be donated for study when he passes away. Yet when you read his statements, it's pretty obvious that placing him on injured reserve due to complications arising from Concussions, was not Hillenmeyer's idea. As far as the idea of the Bears doing this to him in order to secure a better negotiating position for the upcoming lockout...I'm not going to indulge that conspiracy theory just yet, mainly because the Bears ownership is not one of the franchises that's leading the Owners cause. Also, the Bears could have just forced him to retire, but by placing him on injured reserve, they are able to pay out his contract for the entire year versus giving him nothing if he retires.

The way I see it, this is a good thing for both the Bears, Hunter, and the NFL. For the NFL it is another step in spreading awareness of this Concussion Epidemic. For the Bears, they are not only protecting themselves by placing him on injured reserve, but they are preventing Hillenmeyer from his most dangerous enemy at this point....his own desire to play no matter what the risks entail.