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Pollard thinks that the way the game is evolving with players getting bigger and faster, something tragic may occur on the field, rather than something years down the line caused by concussions.
“The only thing I’m waiting for — and, Lord, I hope it doesn’t happen — is a guy dying on the field," he said. "We’ve had everything else happen there except for a death. We understand what we signed up for, and it sucks.
“Like I said, I hope I’m wrong, but I just believe one day there’s going to be a death that takes place on the field because of the direction we’re going.”
Pollard needs to take a history lesson. Pro football players have already died directly from injuries suffered in a game. Howard Glenn (New York Titans) and Stone Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs) both died shortly after sustaining neck injuries. And both of these tragic incidents occurred within a few years of each other in the early 1960s.
Helmets and other safety equipment have come a long, long way since that time. What Pollard perceives as a sport that is becoming more dangerous may, instead, be a greater awareness resulting from improved injury diagnosis. In particular, a better understanding of concussions and brain injuries.
Ban a sport because of the potential for a death due to an in-game injury? Then ban ALL contact sports. That's right. Athletes in football, baseball, ice hockey, and even basketball have died during or shortly after a game. There's no such thing as a contact sport that is 100% risk-free.
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