Tom Brady's Dad Might Not Let Son Play Football Today
With the recent talk about the part concussions play in contact sports, namely football, a popular football player's father stated that he would be reluctant to have his son play football growing up in modern times.
Tom Brady's father, Tom Brady Sr., would think twice about letting his son play football if he was a kid playing the sport today.
"No, not without hesitation. I would be very hesitant to let him play," Brady Sr. told Yahoo! Sports.
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There have been talks for a number of years as to the long term effects concussions have on athletes and many NFL veterans are complaining to league officials that they have suffered serious health problems related to their time playing professional football.
"This head thing is frightening for little kids. There's the physical part of it and the mental part – it's becoming very clear there are very serious long-term ramifications," Brady Sr. said.
Tom Brady was not allowed to play organized football until he was 14. His father thought that his son was not physically ready to play the sport.
"It's the same reason I wouldn't let him throw a curve ball until that age. I told him, 'If I see you throw a curve, I will pull you right off this field,' and he knew I meant it," Brady Sr. said.
Brady Sr. explained that kids do not need to be overworked in youth sports to be successful athletes as evidenced by his 3-time Superbowl winning son, but stated that he still worries about his son while he is on the field.
"I'm concerned … [Tom] claims that he's only been dinged once or twice, but I don't know how forthright he's being. He's not gonna tell us, as his parents, anything negative that's going on," he said.
"If he were 14 now, and he really wanted to play, in all likelihood I would let him," Brady Sr. said. "But it would not be an easy decision, at all."
