An NFL executive said Dr. Joseph Maroon doesn't speak for the league after the Pittsburgh Steelers team neurosurgeon said he believed the head injury problem of Chronic Traumatic Encephelopathy (CTE) was "over-exaggerated."
Maroon made the comment to
NBC Sports while discussing the retirement of San Francisco 49ers rookie Chris Borland after his first season out of fear of head injuries.
"I think the problem of CTE, although real, is …being over-exaggerated and it's being extrapolated to youth football and to high school football," said Maroon.
Jeff Miller, the league's senior vice president of health and safety policy, responded to Maroon's comments.
Miller told NBC Sports that the NFL needs to act conservatively to make sure players get the treatment they need and the league will act in the best interest of the players.
"Joe Maroon doesn't speak for the NFL, nor we for him," said Miller. "He is well-known neurosurgeon who has a great deal of experience in this field, and his opinion, like those of many other neurosurgeons and neuroscientists, deserves respect. There are obviously competing views on this. We've heard perspectives from many different quarters on exactly this issue of CTE."
While noting that NFL games were being managed for head injuries better and safer than ever, Maroon went on to say that youths tend to get hurt doing a number of other things worse than playing football.
"There are more injuries to kids from falling off of bikes, scooters, falling in playgrounds, than there are in youth football," said Maroon. "Again, it’s never been safer. Can we improve? Yes. We have to do better all the time to make it safer. But I think if a kid is physically able to do it and wants to do it, I think our job is to continue to make it safer. But it's much more dangerous riding a bike or a skateboard than playing youth football."
Borland was just one of several high-profile NFL retirements in the last month because of injuries. Others included veterans Jason Worilds, Jake Locker and Patrick Willis.