Latest ALS diagnosis of a former NFL player is a sobering reminder of the dangers of football

It was 87 years ago this week – July 4, 1939 – that Lou Gehrig spoke probably the most famous sentence in the history of Yankee Stadium.

“I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth,” Gehrig said when he was being honored after he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (“ALS”), a disease that now is known by his name.

He died less than two years later on June 2, 1941, at age 37. And one thing hasn’t changed. Doctors don’t know what causes it and have no cure although they have some treatment that sometimes extends that lifespan of its victims. The lifespan after diagnosis is often three to five years.  Steve Gleason, a former NFL player, has been living with it for 15 years.

But one thing they have learned is that former NFL players are four times more likely than non-players to be diagnosed with the disease. That strongly indicates head trauma may be a factor since NFL players take a lot of blows to the head.  

Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson is the latest former player to be diagnosed with the disease.  He revealed it in an interview with Michael Strahan on Good Morning America. Although he no longer can talk and uses his eyes to work a computer, he said, “I want people to know I am still me.” He also said he has had strong support from his family.

He has what is called sporadic ALS, which means that no one else in his family has had the disease.

The NFL has been working to make the game safer and has now has given the players the green light to wear Guardian Caps during game.

In a statement, NFL executive Jeff Miller said use of the helmets has reduced concussions in practice. And he said new helmets provide as much – if not more – protection than a different helmet paired with the Guardian Cap.

Of course, the NFL also has a problem with players getting CTE, and that can’t be diagnosed before their deaths.

It is obvious the NFL has to keep working on keeping the game safer for the players. They probably need stiffer fines and suspensions to try to take helmet hits out of the game.