The Delusion of Toughness
Fans of American football watched in horror last Thursday as Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa lay flat on the field with hands and arms rigid in the “fencing response” after being tackled during a play. The gruesome image projected onto our screens – and rapidly around Twitter – suggested a neurological response to head trauma, according to independent medical professionals who witnessed the injury.
Compounding the issue was the fact that Tua was playing in the Thursday night game just five days after he appeared to suffer a concussion during the previous week’s match. Second impact syndrome, when one head injury quickly follows another, can be fatal. Outrage has run rampant, from former players to medical professionals to concerned fans expressing their frustration at the NFL and the team for failing to protect a player’s safety, especially with something so serious as a brain injury.
While the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to reevaluate the already improved standards for head injuries across the league, few have spoken about the delusional culture of toughness that may be responsible for Tua’s current predicament. It highlights how toxic elements of organizational culture can be so pervasive, yet also demonstrates how we each have agency in creating positive change, especially if given a platform.
Following his initial hit, Tua stumbled and was escorted off the field to be evaluated for a concussion. He reported that his symptoms were the result of a back injury. Numerous NFL veterans admitted to doing the same, of fudging excuses for obvious head injuries so they could return to the field as soon as possible. Doctors bought what Tua was selling and allowed him to not only return to the game, but also play the following week. (One doctor has since been fired.)
But former New England Patriot, Rodney Harrison, did not mince words: “I would get hit, the entire stadium is spinning around, and I would go back into the game… It’s not worth it… and I would implore these young men, don’t go back on that football field if you get hurt because I don’t want them to feel like me and so many other former players that had to deal with concussions. Whether it’s depression, anxiety, paranoia, broken relationships, not being able to communicate with your spouse and things like that, it’s a lot. CTE takes you to a dark place, and I want these players to know, it’s not worth it. Please take care of yourself. Don’t depend on the NFL. Don’t depend on anybody. If something’s wrong with your head, report it.”
Think of the vocabulary used by coaches, commentators, and players when describing admirable traits for NFL stars, adjectives like “tough” and nouns like “warrior.” Football culture – well before players reach the NFL – is notorious for its blatant disregard of health and safety. Head hits in peewee scrimmages, high schoolers playing games in casts, college athletes undergoing surgeries and getting pain injections; it’s brutal, and players are conditioned from a young age to demonstrate Spartan-like grit.
While there is undoubtedly a responsibility for the adults in the room to transform football culture from the top down, especially in youth organizations, there is an opportunity for active players in the NFL to positively impact the sport by being honest and transparent when it comes to getting hurt. It’s great that former players like Rodney are speaking up, but equally important to a culture shift is the admission from current NFL athletes when they are unwell.
Playing through pain is one, very limited demonstration of toughness. Transforming a sport’s culture for the benefit of all who play it – including yourself – demonstrates toughness of a far greater magnitude.
—
Co-authored by David Brendel and Ryan Stelzer, Think Talk Create: Building Workplaces Fit for Humans was published by the Hachette Book Group under the PublicAffairs imprint on September 21, 2021. Now available to order!