The Super Bowl is the highlight of the American sporting calendar when the big guns of American Football clash for the title best NFL team.
But with the brutal battles that often take place on the pitch, there are a many amazing facts about what happens to the players or rather their bodies off it!
- The average age of death among NFL players who were in the league between 1959 and 1988 was just 57 years old.
- NFL players who have had at least 3 concussions during their playing careers are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression – especially after they stop playing.
- American football players are 3 times as likely to suffer from Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s than non-football players.
- Over 67,000 high school football players in the US suffer from concussion each year.
- More than 4,000 former NFL players are either suing the league or intending to do so – accusing it of hiding information about the dangers and risks of brain damage whilst playing in the NFL.
- On average an NFL defensive line backer can produce a tackling force of up to 725kg.
These facts were found by research undertaken by Purdue and Indiana university on occupational health and safety of American football players.