Like father, like son.
Former Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald could have retired final March after enjoying 10 years within the NFL, however he’s nonetheless discovering himself in the course of some soccer controversy. That’s as a result of the 34-year-old shared footage encouraging his son, Aaron Jr., to take part in helmet-to-helmet contact within the Donald household’s front room.
Now there’s nothing fallacious with Aaron Donald wishing for his son – or any of his different three kiddos – to play sports activities. In spite of everything, Donald himself was an absolute beast in his skilled profession, racking up three Defensive Participant of the Yr awards, one Tremendous Bowl, and being acknowledged as All-Professional eight instances.
However this newest video, which reveals he and his son in helmets and pads, has sparked some controversy. Clearly, nobody is upset that he’s a father roughhousing and interacting along with his son. The difficulty arises from how they’re roughhousing, and particularly the truth that Donald was instructing his son to steer along with his helmet.
You may even hear Donald’s spouse, Erica, voice her concern when Aaron Jr. lowers his helmet and clanks into his father’s helmet:
“Not the top!”
That’s the principle concern, with all the discuss round CTE and the way the brutal sport of soccer can carry on the degenerative mind illness. You may even see Aaron Jr. maintain his head after he hits his father for a 3rd time. So now, what was alleged to be a glance into the Donald household’s life has led some to be extremely frightened for Aaron’s son:
“One other Day on the Donalds.”
As you possibly can see, not the worst factor on the earth… however there’s positively trigger for concern.
CTE, which stands for Continual Traumatic Encephalopathy, is usually present in athletes, navy veterans, and others which have a historical past of repetitive mind trauma. And the youthful an individual is when that the repetitive mind trauma takes place, the more serious (and earlier in life) the CTE can rear its ugly head.
It’s a really critical scenario, and lots of soccer gamers must make the powerful resolution sooner or later of their profession whether or not they need to proceed flirting with CTE threat or not (not too long ago, a Colorado participant stepped away from soccer altogether due to repeated concussions). A lot of retired NFL gamers have additionally taken very hesitant, or in some circumstances, a downright ban on their youngsters enjoying soccer in any respect…. Troy Aikman, Bart Scott, Kurt Warner, Brett Favre to call a couple of.
So on the finish of the day, individuals aren’t essentially upset at Aaron Donald. They’re extra so frightened for the well being and security of his son, and surprise if the kid must be collaborating in helmet-t0-helmet front room tough housing. Many social media customers flooded the remark part of Donald’s put up with replies like these:
“‘The way you get CTE so early?’ Oklahoma drills in the lounge.”
“Pre-ordering CTE.”
“Love this however please don’t let that boy get in a behavior of main along with his head like that.”
“Lil bro gonna have CTE by 11.”
“Head drills for the teen is all dangerous.”
“He stated ‘Hell naw I ain’t going more durable, I seen what you do on the market.’”
“Instructing CTE is wild!”
“Bro educate him to steer with the shoulder!”
Must say that I principally agree with these criticizing Aaron Donald. If anybody ought to know the intense dangers of repeated hits to the mind, it’s him.
