Sports Head Trauma

Is It Time To Address The Dark Side Of Our Favorite Sports?

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The dark side of sports is coming out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Athlete after athlete is profiled on the news about struggles with mental or physical illness caused by brain trauma. We sit in the sidelines cheering as opponents smash each other's heads (accidentally and on purpose) on the ice, on the field or in the ring.

It’s the ultimate paradox in sports: We want to see a display of toughness and — in some cases — brutality, but we also want our gladiators to get up and continue on without long-term ramifications. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. While sports like MMA, boxing, hockey, and football are beloved, it's difficult to ignore the dramatic consequences of the grueling physicality on their players' bodies and minds.

We've compiled some of the most harrowing examples of athletes who have suffered (and many continue to suffer) from the brain trauma they endured from their sport. To emphasize the change, we've included before and after video clips.

Georges St-Pierre

We were inspired to create this article because of GSP's recent fight at UFC 167. With a pair black eyes and a forehead covered in fissures, GSP labored through a barely coherent post-fight press conference. Johnny Hendricks pummeled him for five straight rounds, reminding fans just how brutal the sport can be. GSP has never spoken out about brain trauma or the effects UFC has had on his health, but it was hard not to wonder what damage has been done beneath the surface of his nearly unrecognizable face after his final fight.

GSP talks about how he’ll know when it’s time to retire:

GSP announces his retirement in a press conference following UFC 167:







Kevin Turner

Kevin Turner was a hard-hitting fullback for eight seasons in the NFL, but nowadays, he’s a shell of his former self. The rugged pretty-boy who once thumped opposing linebackers now suffers from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. This horrible illness causes the progressive degeneration of muscle control , which is ultimately fatal. Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati wrote in the journal Neurology that professional football players are more likely to die from this and other conditions cause by brain-cell damage.

See Turner in a rare interview from his days playing college football for Alabama in the 80’s:

Turner now suffers from ALS – in this interview, he talks about ramming his head into the sternums of his opponents:







Steve Smith

Steve Smith was a legend at Penn State. The running back captained their 1986 team, leading them to a National Championship. However, if you took a look at Smith nowadays, you’d have a hard time believing it’s the same guy. That’s because his body has been stripped of its powers by ALS, so much so that he’s immobile in bed, fed through a tube and has to speak using a state-of-the-art technology involving his eyes and a computer. The most astounding part of this story is the fact that even though he has been suffering from this crippling disease for a decade, he maintains a sharp mind and an amazing attitude — ALS wears down the entire body, but not the brain. The NFL provides Smith with financial medical assistance under its 88 Plan, which was designed to help former players with dementia and Alzheimer's.

Smith poses with his wife during his stint as a Raiders running back from 1987-1993:

Smith is bed-ridden and immobile due to ALS in 2013, yet he still has an amazing attitude: