NFL HEALTH AND SAFETY UPDATE -- OCT. 9, 2013
CHICAGO BEARS FUND ATHLETIC TRAINERS FOR HIGH SCHOOLS
The Bears have expanded their partnership with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) by providing funding for certified athletic trainers during the high school football season. This pilot program will put certified athletic trainers on the sidelines at the three CPS stadiums that host the largest number of games: Hanson, Lane Tech and Gately. CPS selected Athletico Physical Therapy as their partner to provide athletic trainers. The goal is to improve and expand this pilot program to include every CPS stadium.
ACSM, NATIONAL PTA AND NATA OFFICIALLY SUPPORT HEADS UP FOOTBALL
Representatives from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National PTA and the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) announced their official support of USA Football's Heads Up Football program Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Representatives from each organization joined NFL Foundation Chairman and Cowboys executive vice president Charlotte Jones Anderson and USA Football Chairman Carl Peterson to make the announcement.
Combined, these organizations represent more than 85,000 medical professionals and millions of families and community leaders. Nearly 2,800 youth football leagues representing about 600,000 players and 90,000 coaches have registered for Heads Up Football this season. The program is being piloted on the high school level this fall in 35 schools spanning 10 states.
NFL JOINS CONCUSSION COALITION
The NFL is among the organizations that joined the National Sports Concussion Coalition, it was announced this week. The coalition "expects to be the most comprehensive alliance of its kind, with science and medical leaders in the fields of concussions, brain injury and sports medicine working directly with a cross-section of organizations and governing bodies that represent millions of athletes across major organized sports in the United States," according to the launch press release.
Other founding organizations include: National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS), Pop Warner Little Scholars, Sports Concussion Institute (SCI), US Lacrosse, US Youth Soccer, USA Hockey, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Amateur Softball Association/USA Softball, USA Basketball, USA Football and the Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention, NCAA, NFLPA and National Football Foundation.
FORMER PLAYER BENEFITS
Here are some statistics on programs that provide benefits to former NFL players:
- Retired players have received more than $66 million through the Bert/Rozelle retirement plan in the past 12 months
- In the same time period, former players' widows and surviving children have received more than $10 million.
- 257 applications have been approved under the 88 Plan since its inception in 2007.
- Since 2007, more than $27 million has been distributed through the 88 Plan.
- Since its creation in 2007, the NFL Player Care Foundation has:
- Issued more than $5 million in grants to 504 former players to cover medical and housing expenses.
- Facilitated cardiovascular screenings for 1,677 former players conducted by the Boone Heart Institute and the Living Heart Foundation.
- Facilitated prostate screenings for 1,334 former players conducted by the Urological Care Foundation.
NEW YORK JETS PROVIDE GRANT FOR HELMET RECONDITIONING
The Jets donated $150,000 in grants last week to the New York City Department of Education and Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) football programs. Jets players Antonio Allen, Leger Douzable, Darrin Walls and Muhammad Wilkerson presented the grants at Long Island City High School to members of the Long Island City, Frederick Douglass Academy and Eagle Academy For Young Men II high school football teams. A portion of these grants will help recondition every helmet in the PSAL.
-- NFL Communications
