Football fan wrestles with love for the game amid rising CTE concerns

Michael Arkush, a sportswriter and New York Giants fan, reflects on his excitement for the 2026 season while confronting the growing awareness of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in football.

He notes the promise of young players like quarterback Jaxson Dart and receiver Malik Nabers, yet he is unsettled by the long-term brain injuries that have plagued many former athletes.

Arkush cites a British Medical Journal study showing that roughly 25% of the 900 former players who died between 2016 and 2021 were found to have CTE, acknowledging that the true rate could be higher because the analysis relied on donated brains.

The piece ends with the author questioning whether it is hypocritical to continue enjoying a sport that may cause dementia and suicide among its participants.