Junior Seau had brain disease CTE

[trickblue]

Junior Seau had brain disease CTE

Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for nearly two decades, had a degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Results of an NIH study of Seau's brain revealed abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

''The brain was independently evaluated by multiple experts, in a blind fashion,'' said Dr. Russell Lonser, who oversaw the study. ''We had the opportunity to get multiple experts involved in a way they wouldn't be able to directly identify his tissue even if they knew he was one of the individuals studied.''

The NIH, based in Bethesda, Md., conducted a study of three unidentified brains, one of which was Seau's. It said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people ''with exposure to repetitive head injuries.''

Seau's family requested the analysis of his brain.

Seau was a star linebacker for 20 NFL seasons with San Diego, Miami and New England before retiring in 2009. He died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound.

He joins a list of several dozen football players who had CTE. Boston University's center for study of the disease reported last month that 34 former pro players and nine who played only college football suffered from CTE.

''I was not surprised after learning a little about CTE that he had it,'' Seau's 23-year-old son Tyler said. ''He did play so many years at that level. I was more just kind of angry I didn't do something more and have the awareness to help him more, and now it is too late.

''I don't think any of us were aware of the side effects that could be going on with head trauma until he passed away. We didn't know his behavior was from head trauma.''

That behavior, according to Tyler Seau and Junior's ex-wife Gina, included wild mood swings, irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression.

''He emotionally detached himself and would kind of `go away' for a little bit,'' Tyler Seau said. ''And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse.''

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[joseephuss]

I am not surprised. I don't see how this type of injury can be completely removed from the game. There is a limit on how well you can protect the brain in such a physically, punishing sport.

[Future]

Originally Posted by joseephuss

I am not surprised. I don't see how this type of injury can be completely removed from the game. There is a limit on how well you can protect the brain in such a physically, punishing sport.

Agreed.

The NFL is trying to protect WRs and skill guys from these injuries, but realisticaly, its fullbacks and LBs who are taking big shots to the head regularly. There is nothing the league can do to change that, and I'm sure they are aware, which is why they have not tried to do anything.

Eliminating the big hits on WRs is a facade more than anything, imo. The NFL is about one thing. Dollars. Keeping skill guys on the field increases jersey sales and TV ratings, so the league will try to make sure to take advantage of that. The reality though, is that the guys who are seriously at risk are not glamorous and don't sell tickets, so the NFL could care less what happens to them.

[Denim Chicken]

They need to make strides to develop the safest possible helmet technology and make it mandatory. And the NFLPA needs to get on board as well, because they have fought mandatory safety equipment in the past. Of course, any alterations they make today will not be quantifiable for 10-15 years.

[StanleySpadowski]

An immediate solution would be to remove the facemask from the helmet. Players think they're immune to injury due to the helmet and would be a lot less likely to use incorrect form if it resulted in a broken nose.

[Irving Cowboy]

Originally Posted by StanleySpadowski

An immediate solution would be to remove the facemask from the helmet. Players think they're immune to injury due to the helmet and would be a lot less likely to use incorrect form if it resulted in a broken nose.

I've heard of this solution before. Makes sense, too.

Why don't we hear of rugby players going through the same thing? Seems the worst I've seen happen to them is they can't eat corn on the cob anymore.

[joseephuss]

Originally Posted by Denim Chicken

They need to make strides to develop the safest possible helmet technology and make it mandatory. And the NFLPA needs to get on board as well, because they have fought mandatory safety equipment in the past. Of course, any alterations they make today will not be quantifiable for 10-15 years.

Even with better equipment, the brain is still going to squish around and bash into the inside of the skull. Nothing can prevent that from happening.

[joseephuss]

Originally Posted by Irving Cowboy

I've heard of this solution before. Makes sense, too.

Why don't we hear of rugby players going through the same thing? Seems the worst I've seen happen to them is they can't eat corn on the cob anymore.

Because it is rugby. It just doesn't make the news in the U.S.; however, they have concerns that their sport may have the potential for similar problems. Rugby players also get that ugly looking cauliflower ear.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17959764

http://www.stopconcussions.com/2011/...-their-brains/

[CashMan]

Funny how I was told in his thread:

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/dallas...t=seau+suicide

that I was wrong in not believing the original autopsy.

[jrumann59]

the equipment can only go so far. The athletes get bigger, faster, stronger every year. Equipment can only do so much when you have 250LB LBers running 4.5 40s and hitting guys blind side, unless of the course the mobile force field generator has finally been invented.

Tackling technique has become so horrible in the last 20 years, I am surprised there are not more head and spine injuries.

[erod]

Enjoy football these last few years.

You won't recognize it 15 years from now.