#7 Hot Topic: Equipment Can’t Fix a Broken System
Article #7 of 10 Part Series Equipment Can’t Fix a Broken System Every time football faces a brain injury scandal, the solution arrives right on schedule: new helmets, better padding, smarter technology. Sleeker designs. Scientific buzzwords. Million-dollar marketing campaigns. And yet — players keep getting hurt. Because the problem was never the helmet. It was the system that convinced us helmets were enough. The Safety Illusion We’re Sold Football’s response to mounting evidence of brain trauma has followed a predictable script: Admit concern Fund equipment research Promote innovation Declare progress The optics are powerful. Parents feel reassured. Leagues appear proactive. Media runs glowing segments about “safer football.” But beneath the surface, nothing essential changes: The collisions remain The repetition continues The exposure starts early The incentives reward violence Safety gear becomes a distraction , not a sol...
