NFL: Study Says Former Players Live Longer

[Rey]

The NFL is telling retirees about a medical study that says former players live longer than men in the general population.
While player safety issues related to brain trauma and other football-related injuries dominate the headlines, the study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found 334 deceased men in a sampling of 3,439 former NFL players. Estimates for the general population anticipated 625 deaths.
Players in the study participated in the NFL for at least five seasons from 1959 through 1988, and were observed by NIOSH through 2007.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/05...#storylink=cpy

[The Pencil Neck]

Wow.

OK.

That was unexpected. From what I've seen of NFL retirees, they don't seem to necessarily keep themselves in better shape than the regular population. Lots of them pork out and get fat. And it always seems tht they've got bad health issues.

So.

Wow.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

Wow.

OK.

That was unexpected. From what I've seen of NFL retirees, they don't seem to necessarily keep themselves in better shape than the regular population. Lots of them pork out and get fat. And it always seems tht they've got bad health issues.

So.

Wow.

What's strange is that their findings say that it's almost double the amount of deaths for the regular population :

the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found 334 deceased men in a sampling of 3,439 former NFL players. Estimates for the general population anticipated 625 deaths.

Football players tend to be in extraordinary shape. They tend to have money so they can afford different things to take care of their health.

Maybe the deaths just get more scrutiny than the average person would? I dunno.

Not a whole lot of information there. I just though it was interesting what the NFL is saying...

[Dutchrudder]

Is anyone able to find a copy of the actual study? All I can find are references to summary information.

The following link talks about the findings from 1994:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/pdfs/nflfactsheet.pdf

[Double Barrel]

I'd like to see this same study but only use starters as the samples from the NFL.

I assume they they are using backups, bench warmers, kickers and punters in this study. Those players might be influencing the curve to achieve desired results.

[Vinny]

I can believe that the modern players are living longer. Just look at the Texans. A RD like Roberta Anding educates them on how to eat and live from day 1 in the NFL. They have more money than the early players and they all have elite health care while they are playing. The players are smarter than their predecessors also. It wasn't too long ago that the contracts for the average guys were much much smaller and only a few superstars were paid big bucks. Wealth gives access to expensive heath care. I don't see too many players interviewed that come across as ignorant now that Terrell Owens is out of the league.

[HJam72]

No, this can't happen.

We need more players to die so we can make the game safer for Peyton in his fifties!!!

This message brought to you by: a non-bitter Texans fan (I promise).