Potential reduction in funding for NFL concussion programs for youth and high-school football due to Donald Trump's proposed budget cuts.
Revamped Tackle:
The Trump 2026 Finances Plan cranks up the heat on the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) TBI research and education department, setting sights on an elimination along with a $8.3 million federal funds axe.
A cloud of worry looms as Heads Up, steering concussion prevention programs for youth and high-school coaches across 45 states, appears at risk if the budget plan skates through. This fear is exacerbated by the CDC's April move, parking five program architects on paid leave. The Heads Up website flaunts over 10 million participants diving into these training programs.
ESPN wasn't pleased, shouting, "We're seriously concerned about the extensive horde of coaches who need to take this training." With the entire operation MIA, it's a tumultuous situation.
Trump's proposed budget chops $3.59 billion from the CDC while maintaining the National Institutes of Health's brain research institute. Yet, it's uncertain if TBI programs will see the light in the NIH's research focus, which mainly revolves around medical subjects like strokes and migraines.
Trump's budgetary decisions appear detached from the NFL's TBI research fascination, which vowed a $100 million commitment in 2016 and has since funneled millions into the field. But for a sport wrestling with plummeting youth participation rates, these cuts could spell doom.
(From left) NFL commissioner Rog, Trump, and Commanders owner Josh Harris
Topping the Charts:
"The child's body, brain, and skull haven't fully developed before their tweens," trumpeted Brett Favre in 2018. 'Watching kids get tackled and those helmets look larger than everything else on the kid combined just makes me shudder. I recoil.'
"I suggest 12 as a reasonable age to initiate conversations," was Dr. Chris Nowinski's opinion, the Concussion Legacy Foundation's CEO and former WWE wrestler. 'But any minimum age requirement that prioritizes brain health for children would be welcomed.'
Christy Collins, president of the Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention, applauded increased awareness and education for concussions between 2005 and 2018. 'Athletes might have been more inclined to recognize concussion symptoms and report them,' she commented to the AP.
Now, with Trump's proposed budget cuts, this education could be a figment of the past. According to Dr. Owen Perlman, a member of the Brain Injury Association of America's board, these cuts would "rollback decades of progress" on TBI research and education.
"For many people with concussions or more severe cases, there's no end-game," Perlman told ESPN. "It's a lifelong problem, which requires lifelong funding."
- The elimination of the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) TBI research and education department, as proposed in the Trump 2026 Finances Plan, could potentially lead to a lack of funding for health-and-wellness programs focused on brain health and mental health.
- The proposed budget cuts could impact funding for programs like Heads Up, which have reached over 10 million participants, providing training and education on concussion prevention for youth and high-school coaches across 45 states.
- While the National Institutes of Health's brain research institute maintains its funding, it remains uncertain if TBI programs will be included in their research focus, which mainly involves medical subjects like strokes and migraines.
- The NFL, which has committed $100 million to TBI research since 2016, seems at odds with Trump's budgetary decisions, as these cuts could have a detrimental impact on American football, a sport that is already grappling with declining youth participation rates.
- Former football player Brett Favre expressed concern about children participating in contact sports, stating that their bodies, brains, and skulls have not fully developed before their tweens.
- Dr. Chris Nowinski, the CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and a former WWE wrestler, suggested 12 as a reasonable age to start discussing the risks of concussions with children.
- Increased awareness and education for concussions between 2005 and 2018 have led to an increased recognition and reporting of concussion symptoms among athletes, according to Christy Collins, president of the Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention.
- With Trump's proposed budget cuts, these advances in TBI education and awareness could be jeopardized, potentially leading to a rollback in progress on TBI research and education, according to Dr. Owen Perlman, a member of the Brain Injury Association of America's board.
- For individuals suffering from concussions or more severe TBI cases, long-term funding is essential, as these injuries can result in lifelong problems that require ongoing care and support.
