Illinois Doc’s Honest Advice on When Kids Should Play Tackle Football
When is the best age for kids to start playing tackle football? One NFL Hall of Fame quarterback says it's 14, and one Rockford pediatrician disagrees.
Recently, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre spoke out on what age is best for young people to start playing tackle football. His comments were a surprise to many. Some even called his opinion controversial.
CONCUSSIONS, CONCUSSIONS, CONCUSSIONS
If you have a child interested in playing tackle football, you've no doubt been thinking about what kind of injuries you may have to help them heal.
CONCUSSIONS and their long-term effect on a developing brain.
One of the things that made Brett Favre so much fun to watch on the football field for 20 years was how he could get up after being violently leveled by a defender with a smile on his face.
Every one of those big hits can have a long-lasting impact and that's what keeps many parents from letting their children play tackle football.
The Age That Brett Favre Thinks Is Best for Kids to Play Tackle Football
Brett is involved in a partnership with the Concussion Legacy Foundation which former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinski co-founds. Favre unveiled a PSA that says children have a higher chance of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) if they play tackle football before they're 14.
Rockford, Illinois pediatrician, Dr. Bill Renk, has played football since a very young age. The only reason he stopped playing after college was, as he said,
"Because I was too short and too slow to play for the Dallas Cowboys."
Listen to Dr. Renk tell The Steve Shannon Show what he thinks about Brett Favre's age recommendation
and
What Dr. Renk says is the most important thing parents need to do when considering if tackle football is the right thing for their family.