Willie McGinest says he stands with those protesting a new Massachusetts bill that would ban tackle football for all children until after seventh grade.
“I love the game of football and want kids of all ages to have the opportunity to participate in it,” the former New England Patriots linebacker said in a statement released Tuesday evening by the NFL’s communications department.
The statement came hours after dozens — including fellow former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett — rallied Tuesday outside the State House in Boston in opposition to the recent legislation to effectively ban any child “in grade seven or under” from participating in “organized tackle football,” amid mounting concerns about the dangers of repeated head trauma, particularly for young athletes, and evidence linking youth football to cognitive problems later in life.