The popularity of the National Football League has never been greater. NFL games comprised 34 of the 35 most-watched television shows this fall. 205 million Americans, or 70% of all television viewers, have watched at least one game this season.
At the same time, participation in youth football is beginning to decline.
Participation in the largest youth football program, Pop Warner, dropped 9.5% between 2010 and 2012, the largest decrease in the two decades the program has kept participation statistics. Similarly, USA Football reportedly saw a 6.7% decrease among players between the ages six and 14 from 2010 to 2011.
Without question, the attention given to concussions and brain injuries in current and former NFL players seems to be taking a toll on parents. In an interview with League of Denial authors Steve Fairanu and Mark Fairanu-Wada for ESPN.com, Pop Warner’s chief medical officer, Dr. Julian Bailes, claims the concerns over head injuries is the “no. 1 cause” for the falling popularity of youth football. And a 2013 poll performed by Marist and HBO Real Sports showed that one-third of Americans are less likely to allow their children to play football due to concussion risks.
Also read:
Would noncontact practices make football safer?
Should parents by newer, high-tech football helmets?
Are “hit counts” headed to football?
Introduction of Heads Up Football
The NFL has launched a campaign to address these concerns through its youth development arm. USA Football implemented the Heads Up Football program in 2012. The campaign is funded entirely by the NFL and promoted by numerous former NFL players who serve as the program’s “ambassadors” to the 2700+ youth leagues which have adopted it.
The Heads Up program includes many initiatives aimed at improving the health of its young players. It promotes concussion awareness, 
educates and certifies coaches, teaches proper helmet fitting, and instructs players and coaches on heat illness and hydration. Most notably, it teaches a tackling technique that claims to remove the head from the play.
The Heads Up program’s tagline is “Creating a better, safer game.” Listen to or read some of the interviews of NFL coaches and former players, and you will hear those words used over and over.
Also read:
Does the fear of getting benched keep players from reporting concussions?
Prevent heat deaths in summer football practice now
Does the Heads Up program actually make football safer?
Unfortunately no data currently exists to show that these techniques and education programs decrease head injury rates. USA Football claims that it is currently collecting data from 10 youth leagues – half of which utilize the Heads Up program – to determine its effectiveness.
USA Football and the NFL actively promote the program to parents. USA Football’s executive director, Scott Hallenbeck, acknowledged this education process on ESPN’s Outside The Lines. “We’re telling them that we are taking a logical, reasonable and proactive step to changing the technique and the terminology of how you teach tackling to ensure that the head is up and to the side.”
Also read:
The hidden dangers of concussions
Is the future of football in jeopardy?
Would you let your son play football? Experts weigh in
Criticism of Heads Up Football
On Outside The Lines, The Sporting Life with Jeremy Schaap and in the Fairanu and Fairanu-Wada article, critics of the Heads Up program claim that it is nothing more than a marketing ploy. As such, it is merely a public relations effort designed to convince parents that football can be made safe and therefore ensure a steady flow of athletes into the ever-popular NFL.
I think the components of the program are worth examining. Education about the dangers of concussions, certification of coaches at all levels and promoting tackling that avoids the use of the head are all worthy goals. After watching the instructional videos on the USA Football website, I do agree with some of the critics that the tackling technique promoted barely resembles the hits fans see on Sundays. Or Saturdays or Friday nights, for that matter.
What parents should understand about football
Parents must understand that football is not, and likely will never be, completely safe. Even using this ideal tackling technique, a player can deliver a blow to an opponent’s shoulder and chest that causes his brain to slam into the skull in a whiplash-like manner. Better techniques might help, but it will likely take more radical changes to make a real dent in concussion rates. A current proposal to eliminate the three-point stance for lineman is a good example.
There is no question that we need more research to know if the Heads Up program can decrease the rates of concussions among young athletes. It seems fair to ask, though, if the NFL cares more about improving youth football participation rates.
I don’t really care if Heads Up Football is a marketing ploy or not. If it decreases concussions, it will be a success. If it doesn’t, and if concussions and their long-term consequences continue to escalate, no amount of marketing will help football.
Note: A modified version of this post appears as my sports medicine column in the January 16, 2014 issue of The Post and Courier.
