March 18, 2015 – Dr Joseph Maroon was asked by ESPN, NFL Channel and other media outlets to comment on San Francisco 49er’s linebacker Chris Borland’s intentions to retire due to his fear of brain injury from football.  Dr Maroon is a noted expert in concussion management and has worked with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL on numerous improvements in the management of concussion in sports.

Dr . Maroon has just published in the online journal PLOS ONE the largest series of cases of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy).  READ ARTICLE HERE. CTE is a pathological condition similar to Alzheimer’s disease that has been recently linked to professional football players.

See quote below from a recent UPMC Press Release:

“Our findings show that thus far the scientific study of CTE has been limited to case reports and small series. Without large, longitudinal studies used to make scientific conclusions, the exaggerated fears surrounding CTE may be misplaced,” said Dr. Maroon vice chairman, UPMC Department of Neurological Surgery, and a longtime clinician/researcher in concussion and minor traumatic brain injury (mTBI). “Based on this review, any conclusion that concussion will lead to CTE seems extremely premature, going by the current state of the science.

Click HERE to see Dr Maroon’s ESPN Interview.  Here is a quote from Dr. Maroon’s ESPN interview:

“We came up with 63 total cases of CTE [and] in the last two years a few more,” he said. “But there have been 30-40 million kids who have played football during that period of time. It’s a rare phenomena. We have no idea the incidence. There are … more injuries to kids falling off bikes, scooters, falling in playgrounds than there are in youth football. I think again, it’s never been safer. Can we improve? Yes. We have to do better all the time to make it safer.”

Click HERE to see Dr. Maroon’s NFL Channel’s Total Access Interview

Click HERE to listen to Dr. Maroon’s Radio Interview on 95.7 FM The Game