The controversy between former NFL Quarterback Kurt Warner and former Giants receiver Amani Toomer, has escalated tremendously over this past weekend.
After initial comments Warner made regarding concussions in the NFL, he and Toomer found themselves going back in forth on the issue. Kurt Warner made a statement on the Dan Patrick Show last week saying that the thought of his boys playing football scares him, and he has considered the idea that the risk involving injuries is serious enough that he would prefer them not to play the sport.
Last Thursday, Toomer responded:
“I’d definitely have my son to play football,” Toomer said. “That’s what the Toomer family does. We all play football. But what this reminds me of is the guy at the basketball court, who once he gets done playing takes the ball and ruins the game for everybody else. I think Kurt Warner needs to keep his opinions to himself when it comes to this. Everything that he’s gotten in his life has come from playing football. He works at the NFL Network right now. For him to try and trash the game, it seems to me that it’s just a little disingenuous to me.”
Of course Kurt Warner had plenty to say in return in what I believe wasn’t recanting his previous statements, just clarifying:
“Yeah, I want my kids to play and I want them to be healthy and I’d love them to have a great long career whether that’s collegiate, whether that’s professional. I’d love all that. But as a parent I can’t avoid the fact that it’s a dangerous sport, and it’s a violent sport.”
Much of Amani Toomer’s concern was the fact that Warner said anything at all. He wants Warner to keep those negative ideas about the NFL to himself, as if Warner was blatantly telling parents not to allow their children to play. Now why would anyone want to keep furthering the knowledge of how to make a sport more safe behind closed doors? Warner has acknowledged the fact that he has a huge voice within the NFL community and suggest we enlighten ourselves on concussion health and treatment.
It should take a powerful sports icon to speak up and out about these concerns and not the death of an admired athlete like Junior Seau to get the attention of the NFL, doctors, fans, and parents.
Athletes like Toomer might be the reason why young men and women fight through pain and concussions to stay on the field when they should be thoroughly examined by a trained professional. Hiding and covering symptoms is not safe but strongly encouraged among these athletes. An open-door policy is what is needed between players, parents, and coaches to keep the sport safe and our future professional athletes safe.
Until next time Jersey Girls,
B. Long (@Ms4thandLong)
