Mental health in the NFL has been a topic of discussion for the last several years. During this time, there have been countless untimely deaths, suicides, and mental health issues related to CTE. CTE or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative disease of the brain that manifests itself in players who have suffered repeated brain trauma over the course of their careers. This degenerative disease is the reason why countless football players suffer from life-altering changes to their mental health both during and after their playing careers.
The NFL has certainly come a long way from the days when players and commentators openly criticized Heinz Ward for sitting out of a crucial game for fear of a concussion.