I Would Want My Son to Play Football

I can't take it anymore.  I understand that they mean well and are just being honest but I couldn't disagree more and it is time to explain why.  Somebody needs to.

I'm talking, of course, about the cavalcade of current and former NFL players that have stated publicly that they either would not let or do not want their sons to play the sport of football.  I haven't heard or seen very many taking the opposite point of view publicly.  At least not enough, that's for sure.

To each his own I suppose but let me be real clear right from the start; if I had a son I would absolutely let him play the sport of football.  In fact, I would highly encourage it if he were so inclined.

There is no question that some of the information that has come out in recent years about the possible long-term effects of concussions and repeated blows to the head are concerning.  There is so much, however, that we still don't know at this point and I believe that is why some of the players have come out against the game the way they have.  The fear of the unknown.  I get that.

But at some point we have to spend some time on the known, don't we?  What  I know is that football, much more so than any of the other sports I played growing up (soccer, baseball, basketball, etc.) instills the type of values that can have a positive impact on any individual for the rest of his life.  Things like shared sacrifice, greater good, discipline, attention to detail, teamwork, confidence, mental toughness, physical toughness, and the ability to overcome adversity are not just casual phrases or expressions for football players.  They are very real.

I personally would not want my son to miss out on those very important life lessons that have to be experienced, not just talked about, to truly be learned.

Speaking of experiences, most of the other best times in my life and thus my favorite memories revolve around the sport of football.  Some of those moments were on the field but a lot of them were off yet they still happened because of football.  In fact, most of my friends are guys that I played with at some level along the way and because of the physical nature of the sport I really feel as if our bonds are stronger than most.

So based on all of the lessons learned, experiences had, and friendships made, how could I prevent a son from playing the sport that has and continues to mean so much to me?  I couldn't.  I'd feel like a hypocrite.

Simply put, given the information available at this juncture, the pros of playing the game far outweigh the potential cons in my book.

Veteran New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott recently mentioned that he "plays football so his son won't have to".  I understand and appreciate that point of view.  A lot of other players with similar backgrounds to Scott, who grew up in Detroit, feel the same way.  Scott mentioned that perhaps his son could be a scientist.  Many other players who looked at football as a means to a better life have mentioned the possibility of their son using their brains to be doctors, lawyers, or bankers as an alternative to having to use their bodies on the football field to provide a living for their families.

Unlike a lot of the NFL players who have the same mindset as Scott, my friends actually are bankers, doctors, lawyers, and yes, even scientists.   To a man, they talk about their football experience at the high school and college level fondly and have the same thoughts I do about the vast benefits that the sport provides.  Every one of them would have jumped at the opportunity to play in the National Football League.  Still would, in fact.

I understand guys like Kurt Warner, Harry Carson, and Scott being opposed to their children or, in the case of Carson, grandchildren playing the game.  There is nothing more important to me in my life than the well-being of my daughter.  That well-being, however, and my task as a parent as it relates to her and hopefully more children in the future goes beyond just the physical.  

I want to raise them in a manner that allows them to have great experiences and live long, successful, fulfilling lives.

I want them to know what it is like to get knocked down and have to get back up, both literally and figuratively.

As for the unknown regarding brain trauma, even the researchers will tell you there is so much they don't know and that they are a long way away from definitive answers.  They aren't suggesting that anyone prevent their child from playing football.  They are simply trying to get as much hard evidence and data as possible so that people can make informed decisions. 

For every anecdotal example like Dave Duerson in which brain trauma may have had an impact on his decision to take his life I can give you examples of players like Steve Young, Troy Aikman, and Roger Staubach who have flourished in their post-football lives and appear to be perfectly fine from a cognitive standpoint even though they all retired as a result of too many concussions.

Speaking of former players, maybe we should ask former NFL stars Phil Simms, Howie Long, and Archie Manning if they would let their sons play?  That would be a waste of time of course because all of them have sons that have and still do play football.  And that's at the professional level.  

The vast majority of parents making this decision won't have to worry about the physical pro football.  The odds of your kid making it that far are ridiculously slim and, even if he does, that is a good problem to have.  Their sons will play in junior high, high school, and, possibly, the college level.  Wouldn't you want your son to be able to get all of the benefits of playing football that I articulated earlier?

Besides, it is not as if you can't change that decision should your son actually suffer a concussion at some point.  You always reserve that right.

There is no question that there are some risks associated with the sport of football.  The question is, do they outweigh the potential life-long risks of not letting your son play if he wants to?

Each Tuesday Ross Tucker will share his latest thoughts on the NFL.  This is his debut column for Sports USA.