In the National Football League, mental health has been an issue of concern for the past several years. There have been numerous cases of suicides, untimely deaths, mental health issues associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
CTE is a degenerative disease of the nervous system that is seen in players who suffer from persistent brain trauma over years. CTE is one of the major reasons why most football players are vulnerable to mental health issues during the course of their careers.
In the past, the NFL players and commentators openly criticized Henis Ward for sitting out of an important game due to fear of a concussion. Football is one of the brutal sports and the impact of traumatic brain injuries can be felt after just one incident, although steps are taken to limit head injuries.
Daniel F. Gucciardi, Curtin University Associate professor of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, mentioned in his article, “Are Mental Toughness and Mental Health Contradictory Concepts in Elite Sport? Elite Sport is an environment where the perceived consequences of appearing weak outweigh the incentives of seeking help. Thus, the answer to this target question was yes; mental toughness and mental health are contradictory concepts in elite sport”.
The Green Bay Packers’ Cole Madison, who stepped away from football to seek mental health attention, shows that the conversation of players seeking help without hesitation is beginning to resonate within the NFL.
However, the tragic suicide of his former quarterback, best friend, and teammate, Tyler Hilinski, has shown that the NFL has major issues when it comes to protecting their players from CTE. The medical examiner determined that Tyler Hilinski had stage 1 CTE, although people connected to him, including his family, could recall that he had a very small impact.
The truth is – it is difficult to prevent players from traumatic brain injuries in this sport that has a great level of helmet-to-helmet impact nearly in every game.
Cole Madison is trying to reconcile dark specters surrounding Tyler Hilinski’s death and the root cause of taking his own life, which is associated with CTE. Madison has realized that his brain could be affected by CTE with continued exposure to the risk of brain injuries.
The decision of Cole Madison to step away from football to address his mental health, also weighing the risks of playing football in the NFL, should be appreciated. It is the ultimate sign of strength. By taking such a decision, he has honored Tyler Hilinski. He has been fulfilling the mission of Tyler’s family’s foundation, “Hilinski’s Hope.” He is taking care of himself and his mental health to bring a positive force in the people’s lives, including his family and friends.
