Health officials are beginning to shed light on the effects of collisions in football on American youth. Now more than ever, concerns about brain damage and other injuries have prompted parents to ask whether or not their sons should play the game before high school.
Medical ethicist Art Caplan joined Jim and Margery to talk about the role that tackle football should play in the lives of little kids.
“I don’t see any reason for anyone before high school to play tackle contact football,” said Caplan. “You just don’t need to do it.”
He speculated that the low ratings for the NFL this year could be because parents shy away from the violence happening on the field.
“It does seem to me we probably are seeing some pushback, because I think parents may be saying, ‘Eh, I don’t know about that football. Too violent,’” said Caplan.
He also pointed out that parents’ reluctance to let their small children play could affect the viability of the NFL.
“I’d worry, if you’re a fan of pro-football fan, that you’re gonna lose a generation of fans, because parents aren’t gonna let their kids play the game when they’re little...” Caplan said. “That could really start to be the end of pro-football.”
Medical Ethicist Art Caplan is Head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center and the co-host of the Everyday Ethics podcast. To hear more of his interview with BPR, click on the audio link above.
