On Christmas Day 2015 – just a few months away – a new movie will premiere at theaters throughout Indiana and Illinois. It’s called “Concussion,” and it’s directed by Peter Landesman and stars Will Smith as the doctor who first discovered that two NFL football players who had committed suicide both suffered from CTE (”chronic traumatic encephalopathy”).
You can watch a trailer for the new Concussion movie on YouTube.
New Will Smith Movie Will Spotlight Dangers of Football and Brain Injury
The movie details not only the tragedies that many NFL players and their families and loved ones have suffered because of traumatic head injuries but also the history of American football injuries and how the National Football League reacted to the growing number of professional athletes who were having life-altering, permanent injuries as a result of hits to their head.
From the Internet Movie Database comes this description:
Will Smith stars in Concussion, a thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful – and beloved – institutions in the world. Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment
Of course, the National Football League isn’t thrilled about this upcoming major movie. It’s reported that the NFL has already spent significant time planning on how the league will react to the movie after its release.
- Will American Football be changed as a result of this one film?
- And will it change how college football is played, as well as high school football?
Parents and Concussion Risks for Student Athletes
We’ve been posting about the dangers of concussions and football head injuries for years now — with a special concern for kids and teenagers who are playing school football and risking permanent injury through a concussion or a series of hits. For more information, see:
- Concussion Laws in Indiana and Illinois Try to Keep Kids Safer As They Play Football and Other School Sports — January 26th, 2012
- NFL Claims 36% Drop in Concussions: Can Heads-Free Tackle Protect Your Kid? — February 3rd, 2015
- Do College Athletes Have Higher Risk of Suicide Because of Sports Concussions? Yes. — December 9th, 2014
