Proposed bill in California would ban organized tackle football before high school
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Has football become too dangerous for adolescent athletes? Some lawmakers in California believe the answer is yes.
This week in California, two lawmakers — Kevin McCarty and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher — have proposed a statewide ban on organized tackle football until high school. Their reasoning for the proposed ban? They cite the health risks young athletes face when playing football during a time of their life when the brain continues to be developed.
“The science is clear: head injuries sustained at a young age can harm kids for the rest of their lives,” Gonzalez Fletcher said in a statement, according to Patrick McGreevy of the Los Angeles Times. “Developing skills through flag football before high school is sound public policy from a health and safety standpoint.”
The lawmakers also took note that several NFL legends, such as Jerry Rice, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, and Tom Brady, started playing football using non-contact methods. Given their success in college and the NFL, it stands to reason that development on the field isn’t stunted by beginning a tackle football career later in life.
No doubt this will be a controversial proposal moving forward in the state. The bill is expected to be voted on this year.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
