“That culture has existed and it needs to change,” said NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Pash. “That is a big part of what Commissioner [Roger] Goodell is trying to do. We’re trying to move toward a player safety culture. It’s going to take time, but I think we’re making progress, seeing them being more honest about their injuries.”
-Jon Cohen, Washington Post
John Cohen from the Washington post touched on a very important issue within the football community about awareness of injuries and the acceptance that athletes need to conclude to. In the Aspen Idea Festival they interviewed former NFL players about their experience in the NFL and injuries. They go on to discuss how there were several times that they would get injured, but not validate the injury. They had the mentality of being a "man" and pushing through an injury. They did not want to give in to the pain and instead of advocating and speaking up about an injury they played through it. Is it really worth the health risk of toughening it out and playing through the pain? I know that is the mentality of a lot of athletes, however that is where there needs to be a major change. As an athlete you need to advocate for yourself and your recovery for an injury that you may be suffering from. If not you may be taking a short term injury and turning it into a long term injury possibly leaving you with the risk of not making a full recovery. There is an upcoming change in the culture that football use to exist in and that starts with being honest with your injury. It is acknowledging what injury you may be suffering from and a solution to recovery.
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