Part 6/11:
Another critical factor is the safety of the sport. Football inherently involves risk—concussions and traumatic injuries are well-known dangers. Despite advancements in protective gear, the physical toll of hitting at high speeds is unavoidable. This has led to declining youth participation, which directly impacts the future talent pool. The participation in youth football has fallen sharply—by 13% recently and 17% since 2006—depleting the league’s pipeline for future NFL stars.