Better Helmets, Worse Injuries

Last May, when former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who had suffered from numerous concussions, committed suicide, fans and pundits called for the improvement of helmets, suggesting they would reduce the risk of concussion. But safer helmets could exacerbate violence in sports such as football and ice hockey.

In their 1999 book chapter, Rock Climbers and Rugby Players: Identity Construction and Confirmation, sport sociologists Peter Donnelly and Kevin Young discuss the idea of a macho culture in sports that encourages players to play aggressively and be reckless. Players often fear that if they do not conform to this culture they will be ridiculed by peers, jeered by fans, and punished by coaches. By providing players with the impression that they can play more aggressively, with less fear of getting hurt, safer helmets may exacerbate the risks in this aggressive sports culture.

Rather than improve safety technology, football and hockey leagues need to address the underlying aggressive sports culture. Some are already doing so, enforcing rules about head contact and emphasizing in-game penalties instead of exclusively using fines or suspensions—changes designed to make players slow down and think about their actions, and avoid in-game penalties that hurt the entire team—versus fines or suspensions, which target an individual. These changes are more likely to promote safer play.