New York Giants and Concussion Targeting Gone Too Far: Fan Perspective

I recently wrote an article on the comments that were made by New York Giants players Jacquian Williams and Devin Thomas regarding San Francisco 49ers‘ Kyle Williams. Because of a history with concussions, the Giants players voiced that he was their target throughout the game. My article voiced my disgust in the fact that these players had made a comment such as that, but I believe my main message in the article was lost.

I know football is a rough sport and I wouldn’t want that to change. It is part of what makes the sport football. I also know that it is common to target the other team’s weaknesses and injuries and that trash talk is common. However, going after a player with a history of concussions is taking it too far and I will tell you why.

Like I said, targeting a player with an injury to get an advantage is a part of the game. Take the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger for instance. This season when he sprained his ankle, he was the target (granted, as a QB he is always the target, but this was different). The other teams knew his ankle was weak and making him run with the ball would give them an advantage. This was expected.

However, concussions are not a simple injury like that. Contrary to what some people believe, they are not a simple bump on the head. Concussions are a traumatic brain injury and, if a second concussion is sustained too soon after an initial concussion, a condition known as second impact syndrome can occur and is usually fatal.

If a player has sustained a concussion (even a mild one) and has not had the proper amount of healing time, a second hit can result in rapid and severe brain swelling. This swelling can lead to unconsciousness, respiratory failure and even death. If death does not result, there will be long-term side effects.

Now, this is not the only problem when it comes to concussions. Another condition, known as post-concussion syndrome, occurs after a traumatic brain injury. Even though the brain has healed, symptoms such as mood swings, personality changes, memory loss, difficulty thinking and attention problems can occur. These symptoms can last for a few weeks or can be life-long. They can begin months after the initial injury has healed. This is the reason many former NFL players are now suing the NFL.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that football is made up of the tough hits and that concussions are a risk. It is a part of the game. I know that players will attempt to take advantage of injuries on the other team. This is also part of the game. However, when players talk about targeting a player with a history of concussions it is taking it too far. The part where Devin Thomas said, “(Tyler) Sash did a great job hitting him early and he looked kind of dazed when he got up” obviously shows that they were looking to take advantage of what a concussion can do a player.

An ankle injury is one thing, but a brain injury is one that can’t be fixed with a bandage and crutches. Targeting the brain, and thus a life and death injury, is just not acceptable and the sooner players are made to realize this, the better. The NFL knows that helmet-to-helmet hits increase the risk of concussions and have done their part to fine and suspend players for doing these. However, I believe that targeting a player with concussion history also increases the risk and something should be done to say that this is not acceptable.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete, medical professional and avid football fan. She is a freelance writer and Featured Contributor for the NFL and Olympics. She has followed the Denver Broncos since she was a child and can usually be found yelling at the television during football season. Follow her on Twitter at @fwcdeborah.

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