The post I am introducing to the class is a post from Deadspin contributor Emma Carmichael about Divison I football players quitting football because of repeated concussions, and the NCAA’s policy regarding those athletes scholarships.

At this point, the issue hasn’t become that big of a deal, because out of the four players that have quit due to concussions this year, one was a graduating senior, while the other three were allowed to become player-coaches and continue their scholarships.  What this post brings up, however, is that in the future there will be a point when a program that cannot afford to spend a scholarship on a player who can’t play on a concussed player, and will then be faced with the ethical dilemma of taking away his college education because he was hurt performing for that very school.  The NCAA has scholarship exceptions for players who suffer more tangible damage, such as torn knees and shoulders, but the language they use for concussions is extremely vague, as is the diagnosis methods used by many schools.  In the near future, as we learn more about concussions and their effects, this should only continue to be a growing problem, and the post discusses how the NCAA needs to make changes in order to protect players who quit football in order to protect their long term mental health.