NIOSH: Study shows NFL retirees live longer than men in general population

[ChrisPozz]

NFL says study shows retired players have longer lives - ESPN

 

[wartyOne]

NFL says study shows retired players have longer lives - ESPN

TAKE THAT STUPID CONCUSSION STUDY!!!!

I can already see James Harrison petitioning for his fines back.

 

[beardown07]

Maybe they should look at the concept that alot of athletes have nothing else but they're respective sport that they love...post-career syndrome. Once, on top of the world, then later a nobody. Their passion is taken away by age....alot of em' know nothing else....alot have squandered their money, some, didn't get paid much to begin with (older players). Repeated concussions is a part of it, but there are other factors IMHO.

 

[abaskin18]

Not exactly speaking to the real issue, imo. The league is made up of elite athletes who are generally going to have better health overall than the general population, despite the beatings they take. This, however, doesn't really say anything about those beatings and the impact they can have, and have been shown to have and/or the psychology of being a warrior your entire adult life and then having to suddenly stop.

Many similar case studies seem, to me, to ignore the real issue in an effort to explain it somehow. Studies show people who watch a ton of TV have shorter lives: It's not the TV, it's the inactivity that accompanies it. People with gum disease have increased rate of heart attack and, while I volunteer that there could be a yet undiscovered connection, I believe the majority of people with gum disease simply don't care to take the time and that general health (like taking care of your heart) is likely equally unimportant to them.

Or this old favorite: Team will win if you're RB gets 100+ yards. IMO, it's the other way around: Your RB is more likely to run for 100+ IF you're winning.

I'll certainly be interested to see how this study is bandied about, though. Thanks for posting as always, Pozz.

 

[Rathman44]

this study and the point it is trying to make is very flawed. NFL players by nature are much healthier than the average male. They definitely smoke less and exercise a lot more. Whether they eat better and drink less could be up for debate but I would guess that they do compared to the average male. These all lend to a much longer lifespan overall.
What this study really should have done (and they mention it at the end of the article) is they should have looked specifically at neurological related deaths, including suicide. And they should compare the NFL players to a similar population like NBA basketball players who don't have head injury risks like football players. I would bet you would start seeing dramatic differences in a study like this.

 

[clyde_carbon]

People usually forget that football has saved more lives than it has taken.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Former pro athletes will live longer than the general population as they are athletes and have better overall health. The comparison holds no water with regards to the question of head injuries. Compare them to other professional athletes without head trauma. It would be more interesting to see them compare incidence of dementia in former pro football players and the average person.

It even talks about how the results are driven by CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE EVENTS, ha ha.


This is the type of shit that frustrates the hell out of epidemiologists. They are trying to sell what the study is not even saying.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

this study and the point it is trying to make is very flawed. NFL players by nature are much healthier than the average male. They definitely smoke less and exercise a lot more. Whether they eat better and drink less could be up for debate but I would guess that they do compared to the average male. These all lend to a much longer lifespan overall.
What this study really should have done (and they mention it at the end of the article) is they should have looked specifically at neurological related deaths, including suicide. And they should compare the NFL players to a similar population like NBA basketball players who don't have head injury risks like football players. I would bet you would start seeing dramatic differences in a study like this.

Ha. I hadn't read this. What he said, ^

 

[Jikkle]

It's a bit misleading because it doesn't talk about the quality of life for these players but I don't think the issues is big as it's being made out to be.

I have no doubt there are lingering effects from playing but former players are trying to make it sound like they can't walk or remember their name or their life is horrible because of the NFL.