Growing up, my parents vehemently opposed me playing football because they feared for my safety. Consequently, I stuck with soccer.
I'm glad I did.
I was reminded of this watching what happened to Justin Herbert and Dillon Mitchell last Saturday when the Oregon Ducks were in Arizona. Both are in concussion protocols after being hit in the head, with the timetables for their return unclear as of Wednesday morning. Herbert participated in practice Wednesday, but Mitchell did not.
Over the past several decades, various definitions of concussion have been suggested, which has contributed to the difficulty in effectively managing this complex condition.