The New York Times debuted a new ad spotlighting its investigations and coverage of the impact of brain injuries to football and other sports. Jason Stallman, Sports Editor at The New York Times, joins Cheddar on a special episode of "The Business of Sports" to discuss what he's seeing in the push for more safety concerns.
Stallman says The New York Times takes a special interest in this topic because it doesn't just impact NFL players. More and more young kids are getting into the sport. He calls it a public safety issue if it is the case that repeated head injuries can lead to cognitive damage later in life.
So are we at a turning point in the quest for head injuries to be taken more seriously in sports? Stallman says as the science has mounted over the past decade many people wonder when it will become more of a talking point among players. Although he does cite that certain parts of the country have taken steps to address the risk of head injuries. Some schools have stopped having full contact practices. However, Stallman is unsure when NFL players will start addressing the issue. He says the dynamics are much different when you're being paid millions of dollars to play a sport.
So far, baseball's new speed-up rules are working. The first-ever major league pitch clock and other rules have helped cut more than 20 minutes from spring training games through the first weekend.
Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker (7) kicks the game-winning field goal as punter Tommy Townsend (5) holds during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Having spent the past several months meeting President Joe Biden, raising millions of dollars for his charitable foundation and promoting the benefits of CPR training, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin can focus now on the next big objective in his life: returning to football.
