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NCAA Football: Is it Worth it? Case #29 Use this format for case…
NCAA Football: Is it Worth it? Case #29
Use this format for case analyses in strategic management.
Problem/opportunity statement and situation analysis.
Solution statement – Alternatives, their evaluation, and justification for selected solution. Be sure to consider the impact on all stakeholders.
Financial analysis – the final sentence should include an assessment of the organization’s financial health and the apparent trajectory of its financial situation. Consider the potential impact changes in policy may have on financial performance, and the potential impact of injuries and potential lawsuits.
NCAA Football: Is it Worth it? Case #29
The University of Alabama, MBA/JD 2017
J acoby Jackson was a highly touted, senior 4-star football recruit from Celina, Texas, finishing high school in the spring of this school year. Throughout Jacoby’s life, he wanted to play college football at the Division I university in his home state of Texas. Being a highly skilled 6-foot 6-inch, 240-pound tight end, Jacoby was receiving scholarship offers from many major college football programs throughout the country. Jacoby was also an outstanding student inside the classroom, which led to academic opportunities at Ivy League schools. A few weeks ago, Jacoby watched the Concussion1 film with his parents and began to question if playing football in college would be beneficial in the long run, given all the health risks associated with playing the sport. Many college recruiters were informing Jacoby that helmets and the school’s concussion protocol were highly effective in preventing concussions. With National Signing Day for high school football recruits approaching in a few weeks, Jacoby was still undecided about his football and/or academic future.
COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS OVERVIEW
For every high school athlete, the dream of playing at the collegiate level slowly turns into a reality for a chosen few like Jacoby Jackson. Over 8 million high school athletes dwindled into the 460,000 student-athletes that competed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) level as of 2015. The primary goal of these high school athletes was to be awarded a financial scholarship to assist the rising costs of furthering his or her education. NCAA Divisions I and II schools provided over $2.7 billion in athletic scholarships annually. Depending on the school and the sport, athletes could receive either a full award, a partial award, or no reward. These scholarships could be used to complete a bachelor’s degree, as well as a master’s degree. One of the most competitive scholarships awarded was the full-ride collegiate football scholarship. These full-ride football scholarships typically covered tuition and fees, room, board, books, and most recently cost of attendance. Collegiate football provided more full-ride scholarships than any other sport.
© A.J. Strickland, III. All rights reserved.
The possibility of receiving a full-ride scholarship to a university was a motivating force for any aspiring football player. Besides furthering one’s education, this was the most common route for football standouts to reach an even bigger goal of playing in the National Football League. The NFL’s rules stated that a player must be removed from high school for three years to be eligible for the NFL draft. This did not force a player to compete at the college level, but collegiate football was where virtually all NFL careers began. With lucrative television exposure and the prestige that came with being a collegiate football player, these athletes were able to showcase their skills at the highest level possible before the NFL. With over 850 college football programs and more than 80,000 college football players, college football scholarships were becoming a highly sought-after item during the recruiting process. Recruiting typically began at the high school level; however, with advancements in technology and social media, names began circulating at the Pee-Wee football level as to who would be the next highly sought-after recruit.
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Collegiate Football Scholarship Breakdown2
There were many different routes a high school football player could take to achieve the goal of playing at the college level. The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Series was the premier level of college football. As of 2015 each program had 85 full-ride scholarships; they could award up to 25 new scholarships annually to incoming recruits. This level of football made up only about 20 percent of the opportunities to play college football, although this was the level of football that was mostly seen played. The average person primarily thinks of the Football Bowl Series level as college football, although there were numerous other opportunities.
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Series level of college football was the second opportunity recruits had to acquire financial scholarships. These programs had 63 scholarships per team, but the scholarships could be divided up into partial scholarships allocated to field a team. Typically full-ride scholarships were given to the more skilled players. At the NCAA Division II level, programs had 36 scholarships available to field a roster. The majority of these scholarships were partial scholarships in order to field a competitive team at this level. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics football programs were able to award 24 scholarships partially allocated as well. The National Junior College Athletic Association offered two-year football programs with 85 full-ride scholarships available. This level of football was highly utilized by players who may not be ruled academically eligible to compete at the higher levels. Division III schools, along with Ivy League programs, did not offer athletic scholarships but offered financial assistance and academic scholarships to players who qualified.
College Football Scholarship Value: The Cost of Attendance
College football scholarships varied in amounts, depending on the school and the state in which the recruit was a resident. As is the case at most public universities, a resident within the state paid less than an out-of-state student. These scholarships covered the full cost of attendance, which was broadly defined as the average cost to attend college for one academic year. The cost of attendance was determined annually considering survey and consumer price data, which included tuition and estimated average costs for books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses. These cost-of-attendance scholarships provided substantial aid to college football players who faced strict guidelines from the NCAA regarding pay-to-play allegations and accepting money from boosters.
These scholarships had not always covered the entire cost of attendance. The decision to cover the full cost of attendance was approved in January 2015, and took effect in August 2015. This allowed many universities time to budget for the estimated costs of higher monetary scholarships. With the new rule adoptions, an athlete’s cost of attendance could be adjusted for his individual circumstances, ranging from child care to medical expenses. These cost-of-attendance scholarships had become a major role in the recruiting process of high school athletes. Student-athletes could take advantage of these cost-of-attendance scholarships by pocketing the excess cash. For example, a student could receive money to cover the costs of residential housing on campus. If the athlete opted to live in off-campus housing that was relatively cheaper than on-campus living, the athlete got to keep the excess cash.
Jacoby understood that the money gained from the cost of attendance would be very beneficial in supporting him throughout college and reducing his student loans to pay after college. For Jacoby’s in-state university where he was offered a football scholarship, the cost of attendance was around $26,000 per year. This entire cost would be covered in his athletic college scholarship. Furthermore, Jacoby had only been accepted to the Ivy League university and had not been awarded a financial scholarship. The cost of attendance at this well-known out-of-state university would be almost double the cost of attendance with the football scholarship. Exhibit 1 shows the costs at the two schools for the 2015-2016 year. Jacoby could continue his football career at this university, but no athletic scholarships were awarded at this level of competition unless financial assistance was awarded.
EXHIBIT 1 Cost Comparisons of Football versus School
for 2015-2016 Year
Football Scholarship
Ivy League
Tuition/fees
$ 9,830
$45,278
Room and board
$11,456
$15,381
Books/other
$ 5,160
$ 3,741
Note: These are yearly costs of attendance for 2015-2016.
Sources: www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg03_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=788; college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/cost-attendance.
Academic Route
As Jacoby weighed the costs and benefits of receiving a college football scholarship versus attending the prestigious academic college, Jacoby wanted to know page C-405the graduating salaries of each university. Because Jacoby understood that the chance to play in the NFL was very slim, he wanted to ensure that he would have a career long after his football-playing days ended. Based on his findings, going the academic school route tended to produce almost double the starting salaries of students 10 years after graduation.3 Jacoby needed to weigh these options against his dream of playing tight end in the NFL (see Exhibit 2).
EXHIBIT 2 Estimated Salaries after 10 Years
College Choice
Starting Median Salary
Mid-Career (10-yr) Median Salary
Mid-Career (10-yr) 25th Percentile Salary
Mid-Career (10-yr) 75th Percentile Salary
Football Scholarship
$49,700
$ 93,900
$67,400
$129,000
Prestigious Academia
$59,100
$126,000
$91,200
$137,000
Source: online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-Salaries_for_Colleges_by_Type-sort.html.
Jacoby considered this scenario: After college, assuming the NFL was not in his future, Jacoby took a job with a sports marketing firm working in Dallas, Texas, earning the salaries shown in Exhibit 2. The annual salary growth rate increased by 3 percent given every year Jacoby remained at the company past his initial 10 years. His employer matched his 401(k) up to 5 percent, earning interest of 5 percent yearly. Jacoby would be able to retire from the company in 25 years.
Probability of Making the National Football League
Besides playing football for his favorite university in his home state of Texas, Jacoby had a lifelong goal of playing in the NFL. Because the rules stated that a professional football player must be at least three years removed from high school, Jacoby understood that attending college was the most profitable way to improve his skills as a player while earning an education. However, the probability to continue his career in the NFL was less than 2 percent. Because Jacoby was not beginning his collegiate football career until the next fall, he belonged to a statistic of about 8 in 10,000 high school senior football players who would eventually be drafted by an NFL team.4 Although Jacoby was very confident in his ability to turn pro, these numbers were very low to safely assume Jacoby would develop into an NFL-caliber player.
In Exhibit 3, the percentage of NCAA to Major Pro column represents the number of NCAA football players selected in the NFL draft divided by the number of draft-eligible players. Although players did not have to be drafted to make the NFL, this was the common route to competing in the NFL. Because Jacoby’s scholarship offer from the university in his home state was an FBS Division I scholarship within the Power Five Conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC), his percentages would increase to play professional football at the next level when he became draft eligible in three years (see Exhibit 4).
EXHIBIT 3 Estimated Probability of Competing in the NFL
NCAA Participants
Approximate # Draft Eligible
# Draft Slots
# NCAA Drafted
% NCAA to Major Pro
71,291
15,842
256
255
1.6%
Source: www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/football.
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EXHIBIT 4 Division I and Power Five Conference NFL Comparison
NCAA Level
% NCAA to NFL
Division I
4.0%
Power Five Conference
10.1%
Source: www.ncaa.org/about/resources/research/football.
Salaries at the Professional Football Level
Before the NFL and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) reworked the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in 2011, rookies drafted out of college had more leverage in signing more luxurious first contracts. No longer could players like Sam Bradford, in 2010, sign a six-year, $76 million contract without touching the field in the NFL. Before 2011, NFL teams were given a salary cap that could be allocated to incoming rookies that could reach as high as 60 percent for some first-round draft picks. In 2016, each pick had a predetermined monetary amount and contract length of four years. However, only the top 16 picks in the draft were able to sign a contract for guaranteed money for four years. The vast majority of picks after the first two rounds signed contracts for four years of nonguaranteed money with bonuses predetermined by the new CBA (see Exhibit 5).5
EXHIBIT 5 Minimum Base Salary Projection for 2014 Lower Draft Picks (3rd through 7th Round)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Base Salaries
$420,000
$510,000
$600,000
$690,000
Source: mmqb.si.com/2014/05/22/nfl-rookie-contract-negotiations
Jacoby planned to play tight end for the remainder of his collegiate and possibly professional career. Statistically, tight ends are not known for being drafted as highly as other positions such as quarterbacks, wide receivers, and offensive linemen. This provided another uphill battle Jacoby would face when attempting to be drafted highly in his future draft year. Based on statistical data from the previous 10 years,2005-2014, tight ends made up only 5.7 percent (145 of 2,560) of all draft picks in these years with an average first-round selection pick of 21. Only 9 tight ends of the 145 tight ends drafted in the last 10 years were drafted in the first round, with only 2 of those 9 first-round picks drafted within the top 16, which allowed them to receive a guaranteed money contract for their first four years under the new collective bargaining agreement.6
The Dangers of NFL Money Unlike the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and National Hockey League, the NFL did not have to guarantee money in contracts besides the signing bonus. A large majority of players lived on the league minimum, estimating that three-quarters of an NFL team likely did not make a million dollars in their careers. NFL players were paid throughout the 17 weeks of the regular season that made up the most of their salary. This was an issue because the players may not have saved enough money to live on for the remaining 35 weeks of the year, especially with the spending habits that could occur during a rookie’s first season earning six or seven figures trying to keep up with NFL superstars.
In ESPN Films’s 30 for 30 documentary Broke, former NFL coach Herman Edwards explained this monetary issue with a creative analogy: “There’s a problem when you have beer money and champagne taste.” The players would get so caught up in the lifestyle they were then able to afford, they forgot it could be taken away in the NFL at any time. Besides the top players with guaranteed contracts, most players could have their paycheck taken away at any time due to off-the-field issues or injuries. A 2015 study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) showed that 15.7 percent of NFL players drafted between 1996 and 2003 filed for bankruptcy within page C-40712 years of retirement. Although only about 2 percent filed for bankruptcy two years after retirement, a substantial growth rate in bankruptcy filing of these players continued throughout the first 12 years. These players could have taken advantage of the NFL retirement plan to ensure they had a steady flow of income for years to come (see Exhibits 6 and 7).
EXHIBIT 6 NFL Retirement Plans
Retirement Plan
Pension Plan
401 (k) Program
Annuity Plan
Credited Seasons Needed
3 seasons
2 seasons
4 seasons
Age Before Collection
55 years
N/A
35
Payments per Season
2015-2017
$660 monthly
Match up to $26,000 annually
$80,000 annually
2018-2020
$720 monthly
Match up to $28,000 annually
$95,000 annually
Source: nfllabor.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/collective-bargaining-agreement-2011-2020.pdf.
EXHIBIT 7 NFL Career Length
Image transcription text
Average playing career length in the Nadonal Football League (in
years) Players with at least one Pro Bowl 11.7
selection/appearance First-round draft picks 9.3 Playe…
Show more
Source: Statista and NFL.com.7
The average career of a first-round draft pick was nearly three times longer than the career length of the average player. Of the nine tight ends selected in the first round, Dustin Keller was the only player not on an NFL roster at the beginning of the 2014 season. These first-round tight ends had sustained long careers in the league, which led to more overall career earnings. The average NFL salary experienced an increase as player age increased for those who were able to sustain longevity in the league. However, 70 percent of the NFL’s players fell between the ages of 22 and 27, before the large increase in salary could occur. Also, the decrease in the number of players still playing at those older ages was greatly alarming. This number was expected to continue to fall as concussion awareness continued to rise among players (see Exhibit 8).
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EXHIBIT 8 NFL Salary and Age Distribution Comparison
Image transcription text
Average NFL player Salary by age In 2014 $10M M $8M $6M
Average $4M IM $2431 $2. 2.88M $2M $1 48.84 8.81M 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 4…
Show more
Source: www.besttickets.com/blog/nfl-player-census-2014/.
Concussion Issues
A reason more players were retiring early was due to the new information surrounding concussion statistics and brain damage resulting to football players later in life. Jacoby’s parents were greatly concerned that if Jacoby continued to play football at the collegiate level, and possibly pro level, he could gravely injure himself. As Jacoby’s signing day was less than page C-409a month away, he and his parents went to see the film Concussion. The film solidified Jacoby’s parents’ concern about the health and safety of their only child. Concussion follows Dr. Bennet Omalu throughout some of his experiences researching chronic traumatic encephalopathy, more commonly known as CTE. Jacoby had never fully considered the damage his brain took whenever he took hits to the head as a high school football player. He also knew that giving up his college football scholarship would cost him a lot of money in student loans whether he still attended his in-state university or attended the prestigious academic school in the New England area.
CTE: What Is It? CTE is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes and others with historical repetitive brain trauma. It can result from concussions as well as repetitive hits to the head causing brain trauma. This results in degeneration of brain tissue and causes a buildup of an abnormal protein known as tau. These symptoms can begin anywhere from months to decades after the last suffered brain trauma took place. Resulting effects of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and progressive dementia.8 This disease has been linked to the suicide of multiple NFL players as well.
Concussions: The Beginning9 In 1994, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue created the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) committee. At the time concussions were still seen as a minor issue compared to other areas and injuries within the game. In 1997, new return-to-play guidelines were installed when the American Academy of Neurology announced that repetitive concussions could cause brain damage to the players. In 1999, the NFL Retirement Board ruled in favor of Mike Webster, claiming that the head injuries he suffered in the NFL led to his diagnosis of dementia. This was the first case of its kind in NFL history. In 2002, Dr. Omalu examined Webster’s brain, eventually discovering the first case of CTE identified in football players.
Between the finding of CTE in 2002 and the beginning of 2005, the NFL’s MTBI committee continued to dispute evidence that playing football led to a higher risk of brain injuries. In 2005, Dr. Omalu published the CTE findings in the journal Neurosurgery. Over the next few years, Dr. Omalu would find CTE in the brains of multiple former NFL players who committed suicide. In 2007, the NFL hosted its first NFL Concussion summit in efforts to combat the issue, only 13 years after the MTBI was created. The first time the NFL acknowledged that concussions had long-term effects on the brain was in December 2009. New return-to-play guidelines were issued and any player that exhibited symptoms of a concussion was not allowed to return to play that same day.
In fall 2010, the first reported case of CTE at the collegiate level was found in a 21-year-old college football player. The player had never been treated for a concussion, which raised concerns that the number of hits sustained throughout a football career could lead to CTE. In March 2011, the NFL made its first rule change to combat concussions by moving kickoffs to the 35-yard line to reduce collisions. In 2013, the NFL announced that an independent neurologist would be on the sidelines of every team to perform a systematic checklist when a head, neck, or spine injury occurred. That same year, the NFL settled a $765 million lawsuit with retired NFL players without admitting any wrongdoing (see Exhibit 9).
EXHIBIT 9 NFL Concussion Yearly Injury Reports, 20092013
Image transcription text
200 161 150 142 145 129 100 92 First full season after NFL
starts 60 adopting new concussion rules 2009 2010 2011 2012
2013
Source: www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/art/cats/concussions/summary-charts/CW-roundup-chart4a.png.
Concussions: NFL In 2015, concussions rose 58 percent in the NFL with a reported 182 concussions. This changed the trend in concussions, which had decreased to 114 reported concussions in 2014. Jeff Miller, the NFL’s senior vice president, stated that the increased concussion number in 2015 was likely possible due to the enhanced screening processes being implemented to diagnose concussions, as well as the trainers and independent neurologists being more active in attempting to spot concussion symptoms. Reports of concussions resulting from helmet-to-helmet collisions also rose from 58 in 2014 to 92 helmet-to-helmet concussions reported in 2015. Concussions made up almost 11 percent (182 of 1,672) of overall injuries reported in the NFL in 2015 (see Exhibit 10).
EXHIBIT 10 NFL Concussion Statistics, 20122015
Image transcription text
Incidence of Concussion 300 250 I Concussions 200 150 umber
100 N 50 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total – Regular Season -+
Preseason Concussions by Impact Source 100 80 60 N…
Show more
Source: www.forbes.com/sites/abigailtracy/2016/02/04/nfl-cte-football-concussions-injuries-helmet-vicis-zero1-super-bowl/#4b34ab7059c5.
Concussions: High School and College Football Concussions were an issue facing players not only in the NFL but also at the high school and collegiate levels. A study in 2013 by the Institute of Medicine, funded by the NFL, estimated that high school football players suffered 11.2 concussions for every 10,000 games and practices, whereas the collegiate rate was only 6.3.10 In 2014, the NCAA announced its $30 million alliance with the U.S. Department of Defense to conduct research into concussion and head impact related injuries. This research would be conducted on over 37,000 male page C-410and female collegiate athletes over the next three years. A preseason concussion evaluation would be conducted and followed up by further evaluations when related injuries occurred. This was intended to provide more concussion information for the NCAA, which was not accessible before this initiative.
This new research would be used to combat concussion issues within all college sports, but was page C-411expected to bring about major changes with concussion reporting in college football. The NCAA’s concussion policy required only that schools receive written acknowledgments from athletes that they had received education on concussions and were required to report symptoms to the staff. A study in 2014 at the FCS level (Division I lower level) estimated that only one concussion was diagnosed in college football for every six suspected concussions. The study calculated that for every one diagnosed concussion, there were 21 other head-related injuries that went unreported, but necessarily a concussion each time. Coach’s perception of concussions and how the players viewed the coach’s perception seemed to play a large role in whether the concussion symptoms were reported by the players. It was also found that players, such as offensive linemen or running backs, who take the most hits throughout the game may think these symptoms are just part of their normal routine.11 If these symptoms became a normality to players at the collegiate level, it would likely spill over into their professional careers in the NFL.
Preventing Concussions
No Full-Contact Practices One level of collegiate football combatted the concussion issue with full force. Beginning in 2016, Ivy League schools would no longer have full-contact practices during the regular season in hopes to reduce head injuries. The Ivy League already had the strictest rules preventing excessive contact at practice, but had now revolutionized the way schools could reduce practice-related concussions by eliminating full-contact drills within practice. Dartmouth was the first Ivy League school to implement these no-full-contact practices in 2010. When full-contact practices were completely eliminated, the school used a virtual mobile player to tackle and chase around the field, as if it were any other player. Until 2015, the NFL had also seen concussions decrease after the amount of full-contact practice days were decreased in 2012 by league officials.
Helmet Technology Helmets are the safety pad that prevent players from receiving even worse head injuries in football than are already sustained. A revolutionizing helmet that could decrease the number of concussions would benefit football players greatly. The VICIS Zero1 football helmet attempted to help lower concussions with its innovative technology to reduce the impact forces of helmets. Unlike regular helmets, the Zero1 helmet used a soft outer shell that embraced the impact and spread the force omnidirectionally. The Zero1 helmet cost around $1,500 per helmet, which was at least $1,000 more than other helmets on the market. VICIS hoped to attract NFL and collegiate teams first, then spread to the high school markets to help reduce concussion numbers nationally.
In order to reduce the number of concussions, what if the NFL completely banned the use of all helmets? Hines Ward, a former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout, was among those advocating that football helmets do more harm than good. Ward told the Dan Patrick Show, “If you want to prevent concussions, take the helmet off.” Although this idea seemed very far-fetched, Ward’s rationale for his reasoning was not. He believes players use their helmet like a weapon, giving them more ability to deliver a big hit, rather than protecting players from receiving a big hit. If players did not wear these protective helmets, the players would play less recklessly, and therefore prevent fewer head shots from opposing players. However, skull fractures would likely increase (even if concussions decreased) from the removal of helmets off football players, which would not increase the overall safety of the game.12
CTE Results
As of September 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University had discovered CTE in 96 percent of NFL players examined and 79 percent of those examined who played football at some point in their life. Forty percent of those testing positive for CTE played either offensive or defensive line in their playing time, assisting the theory that repetitive hits increase likelihood for this disease. CTE can still not be positively discovered in living players who believe they are suffering from the disease. Researchers are still trying to find cures in order to saves lives in the future. The resulting trend still shows a distinctive link between football and long-term brain disease based on results of football players who have donated their brains to CTE research.13
Players’ Reactions to CTE Issues
Patton Robbinette Patton Robinette, the starting redshirt junior quarterback at the University of Vanderbilt, decided in the spring of 2015 to quit playing college football to focus on medical school. page C-412He cited a concussion that occurred during the previous football season as being one of the reasons he had decided to give up the sport. Robinette stated, “This team means the world to me and I love playing football more than anything. It’s been tough coming to a decision that is right for my family and I, and protects my health and future.” Robinnette started at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine the following summer to study orthopedics.14
Chris Borland In the spring of 2015, Chris Borland became the most highly profiled NFL player to retire due to the risk of head injury. Borland retired at age 24 after playing one season with the San Francisco 49ers, and played collegiate football at the University of Wisconsin. Borland never suffered a concussion in his one season in the NFL, but did state he had two previous concussions in his life. Borland was a third-round pick in the draft the previous year and scheduled to make $540,000 in his upcoming second season. Borland felt that to be the successful NFL player he envisioned himself being, he would have to take risks that could lead to CTE. Borland claimed, “I just honestly want to do what is best for my health. From what I’ve researched and what I’ve experienced, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.”15
Wes Welker Wes Welker, a wide receiver picked up by the St. Louis Rams in the middle of the 2015 NFL season, is one of many NFL players not affected by the concussion statistics. Welker’s concussion history of six overall concussions included three within nine months and two within three weeks. Welker was cleared by doctors to return to the football field while making this decision to return to the game for another season. Welker stated, “I already played a full season without a concussion, so I’m not really worried about it. I know I’m the poster child right now and everything else. I’m good, and I’m ready to play some ball.”16
Jacoby’s Decision
National Signing was approaching within a few weeks and Jacoby was still undecided whether he was going to look past the health risk associated with playing football at the collegiate level or focus solely on his education. He was pressured from all of his friends at school to accept the collegiate scholarship at the in-state university and continue his dream of playing in the NFL. His close family and relatives kept reminding Jacoby of all the health risks associated with continuing his football career. This college decision coming in two weeks also placed a financial burden on Jacoby. If he chose not to accept the football scholarship, he was turning down a free college education in return to pay for it on his own at possibly a more expensive university. This decision that 18-year-old Jacoby had to make in the upcoming weeks would affect him the remainder of his life. Was the risk of his mental and physical health, for which there was no cure for CTE at the time, worth the possibility of the fame and fortune of an NFL career a
