Researchers find brain trauma in Chris Henry

[SHOGUN]

Chris Henry, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver who died in a traffic accident last year, had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) -- a form of degenerative brain damage caused by multiple hits to the head -- at the time of his death, according to scientists at the Brain Injury Research Institute, a research center affiliated with West Virginia University.

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As more information comes out about the circumstances around Henry's death, I can't help but be a bit concerned about the long-term health of some the current players. CTE was the same stuff they found in Chris Benoit's autopsy. According to the article, he hasn't been diagnosed with a concussion and it's not as if Henry was playing a more rugged position like linebacker, besides he was only 26 at the time.

I'm inclined to think that having kids playing football so early (like Pop Warner) is contributing to stuff like this. It's not a good look to be playing such a violent sport at such a young age and for so long. You hear about this all the time in Muay Thai. Kids start fighting really early and end up punch drunk by 30.

As a fan I torn because while I am concerned with the player's well-being, I don't want the sport to become watered down any further and essentially become flag football. I think with this new info and the high priority on head trauma currently should probably hold off Goodell into expanding to an 18-game season.

What are your thoughts about it?

 

[Chrispy]

Thats scary that according to reports Henry never had a concussion but yet showed signs of brain damage.