This article was curated by It’s That Part, where we highlight the truth in every fact—curated for deeper insight and critical reflection.
Author and journalist Jeff Pearlman is one of my favorite voices in sports media. It was his TikTok short that notified me of the death of former NFL player Kenny Easley. His death came after a long battle with kidney disease. Pearlman cites that it was Easley’s excessive use of painkillers that had such a lasting and ill effect on his kidneys. Easley took the medication as ordered by the Seattle Seahawks medical staff. The details of this haven’t been recognized by the NFL in the wake of his passing. However, this story conjures up cover-ups of NFL times past, such as those of the chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) type.
The paper trail
Peter Landesman’s Concussion, starring Will Smith, contextualized a lot of this in great detail. Where is the line between caring for players and not negatively affecting the league’s bottom line? It’s what the economics of this country is based on. It’s sort of like housing in our society, and the knowledge that there’s really enough space for everyone. So, why can’t we house most people? The same goes with the NFL and capitalism. If you ask me, the “shield” taking accountability for their previous generation’s practice can’t hurt their bottom line.
When is it ever the wrong choice to take accountability? I’d say never. I wouldn’t necessarily want to stop supporting the NFL if they owned up to the fact that their teams’ medical staffs made decisions that weren’t in the best interest of their players. If anything, that sort of recognition should continue to build equity with your fans. You want to continue to breed goodwill among them. Ignoring what information can still be made available is a bit silly in my opinion. Sharing these stories, and in some cases, getting out in front of them, can serve as cautionary tales for others to know where the potholes may lay in their own careers.
Familiar legal territory
In the case of Easley, he actually brought a case to the NFL, citing them being the sole reason for his excessive painkiller use, as well as his eventual kidney disease. That case was then settled out of court, which seems damn near proverbial when speaking of NFL litigation. But what that tells you is that Easley’s claim clearly has legs. I’ll never understand a corporation’s propensity for wanting to cover up the truth. There’s so much more value in addressing said issues.
In this case, addressing said issues would involve having players sit out longer to heal. That’s something that we see a lot more of in present-day NFL games. But continuing to perpetuate dishonesty as it pertains to your messaging to your fans has to get old at some point. The more they do it, the more they’ll continue to have to be reactive to tragedies rather than seeming like they’re doing something to avoid them.
Not the type of advertisement you want to see
A great example would be former NFL star Tony Dorsett, who claimed in years past that he currently deals with CTE. He stated that he was tested for it. Although it’s known that you can’t actually be diagnosed with the neurological disease until you’re dead, it’s hard to argue that he isn’t dealing with the ill effects of head trauma.
A couple of weeks ago, Dorsett attended the Notre Dame versus Pitt game and was interviewed on the sideline. Now, it’s important to note that this was an ACC game. This was an NCAA production, not an NFL one. But the former Dallas Cowboy is still a living embodiment of what attrition can look like as a former NFL star.
My point is that the NFL can’t always control the narrative. There are examples all around us as to what the ills of playing football can look like. Anyone who plays knows the risks involved. So, why run from the obvious? The NFL looking out for their players’ health in a more front-facing fashion is great marketing to me. But as conservative as their brass have proven themselves to be, I expect them to take after what we see in D.C. What’s that, you ask? Simple… deny, deny, deny!
