What percentage of football players get concussions?
Jessica Cortez
Updated on April 15, 2026
NFL and College Football
For the time period of 2012-2019, the National Football League (NFL) Injury Data shows that an average of 242 NFL players per year sustained concussions. Some statistics state that about 10% of all college players experience a brain injury every season.
Also asked, how many kids get concussions in tackle football?
A recent study in the Journal of Pediatrics examined the risk of concussions among 8- to 12-year-old tackle football players. In the study of 468 young athletes, 20 concussions occurred in 20 boys. Concussions were about 2.5 times more likely to occur in 11- to 12-year-old players compared with 8- to 10-year-olds.
Also, how many football players get concussions a year? We've found that: Between 1.7 and 3 million sports- and recreation-related concussions happen each year. Around 300,000 of those are from football. 5 in 10 concussions go unreported or undetected.
Additionally, what youth sports have the most concussions?
The three sports with the highest concussion rates were:
- Boys' football, 10.4 concussions per 10,000 athlete exposures.
- Girls' soccer, 8.19 per 10,000 athlete exposures.
- Boys' ice hockey, 7.69 per 10,000 athlete exposures.
What sports do concussions occur most in?
Concussions occur in all sports with the highest incidence in football, hockey, rugby, soccer and basketball. The largest number of sports and recreation related TBIs among males occurred during bicycling, football, and basketball.
Related Question Answers
How many concussions happen in the NFL in 2020?
This year's preseason practices saw 30 concussions, 11 ACL tears and 16 MCL tears. From 2016-2020, the averages were 35.2 concussions, 10.4 ACL tears and 13.8 MCL tears.Are concussions noticeable right away?
What are the symptoms of a concussion? Symptoms of concussions differ for each person and with each injury. Symptoms may not be noticeable right away and may develop in the hours or days following an injury, or when the demands of regular life are resumed.How do football players avoid concussions?
Football Concussion Prevention: What You Can Do- Wear proper equipment at all times, including practice.
- Examine playing field for uneven spots.
- Incorporate neck-strengthening exercises into training.
- Pad side posts for impact.
- Discourage aggression in practice and on the field.
- Learn and use proper technique.
How bad are concussions in football?
Concussion FactsBrain injuries cause more deaths than any other sports injury. In football, brain injuries account for 65% to 95% of all fatalities. Football injuries associated with the brain occur at the rate of one in every 5.5 games.
Can you get a concussion from getting hit with a football?
Playing sports increases a person's risk of falls and collisions with objects or other players. These can cause concussions — a type of brain injury. That's true of all sports, not just contact sports like football and hockey. As long as people play sports, there will be concussions from time to time.Why you shouldn't let your child play football?
SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Tackle football is dangerous for children. Children who play tackle football absorb repeated hits to the head. As adults, they're at higher risk of suffering cognitive deficits as well as behavioral and mood problems.Does football damage your brain?
Just one season of playing football—even without a concussion—can cause brain damage. But for neuroscience researchers, those sounds can signal something much darker: brain damage. Now, a new study shows playing just one season of college football can harm a player's brain, even if they don't receive a concussion.What are the four stages of CTE?
Going through the Stages of CTE- Stage I. This first stage is most commonly marked by headaches, and loss of attention and concentration.
- Stage II. Depression, moods swings, headache, and short-term memory loss top the list of most frequently experienced symptoms in Stage II.
- Stage III.
- Stage IV.
Why is youth football bad?
In the last two years, some researchers have shown that head hits in youth sports increase the risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, an untreatable degenerative brain disease with symptoms ranging from memory loss to progressive dementia.How many concussions happen in youth football?
New research from Seattle Children's Research Institute and UW Medicine's Sports Health and Safety Institute found concussion rates among football players ages 5-14 were higher than previously reported, with five out of every 100 youth, or 5%, sustaining a football-related concussion each season.Does football cause CTE?
Repetitive head trauma is likely the cause of CTE . Football and ice hockey players, as well as military personnel serving in war zones, have been the focus of most CTE studies, though other sports and factors such as physical abuse also can lead to repetitive head injuries.What is CTE brain damage?
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive and fatal brain disease associated with repeated traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions and repeated blows to the head. It is also associated with the development of dementia.At what age is tackle football safe?
The Concussion Legacy Foundation states that it "strongly recommends you delay enrolling your child in tackle football until the age of 14."How do NFL players get concussions?
A concussion is a frequent injury among football players. Concussions occur when the head is subject to a large impact force, resulting in a minor brain injury.What are 5 signs of a concussion?
- Headache or “pressure” in head.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision.
- Bothered by light or noise.
- Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy.
- Confusion, or concentration or memory problems.
- Just not “feeling right,” or “feeling down”.
What are the worst sports for concussions?
Concussions occur in all sports with the highest incidence in American football, ice hockey, rugby, soccer, and basketball.What sport has the highest rate of injury?
footballWhat sport causes the most brain damage?
The following sports/recreational activities represent the categories contributing to the highest number of estimated head injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2018.- Cycling: 64,411.
- Football: 51,892.
- Baseball and Softball: 24,516.
- Basketball: 38,898.
Who has more concussions football or soccer?
Overall, high school athletes experienced concussions at a rate of 4.17 per 10,000 exposures. Football had the highest rate per 10,000 exposures at 10.4 followed by girls' soccer at 8.19 and boys' ice hockey at 7.69.What percentage of concussions are sports related?
Concussions in athletes are extremely common. In fact, about 3.8 million concussions occur each year in the U.S. from sports-related injuries. The Center for Disease Control estimates that 5-10% of athletes will experience a concussion in any given sports season.Who has the most concussions in the world?
Overall, the data showed that the three sports with the highest concussion rates were:- Boys' football, with 10.4 concussions per 10,000 athlete exposures.
- Girls' soccer, with 8.19 per 10,000 athlete exposures.
- Boys' ice hockey, with 7.69 per 10,000 athlete exposures.
What two high school sports have the highest rate of concussions?
Concussion RatesBoys' football had the highest overall concussion rate (10.40 per 10 000 AEs), followed by girls' soccer (8.19 per 10 000 AEs) and boys' ice hockey (7.69 per 10 000 AEs).
Does cheerleading have more concussions than football?
Football had the highest overall concussion rate (10.4 per 10,000 athletic exposures) of all sports, including a rate of 5.0 in practice. Cheerleading had the next highest practice-related concussion rate, at 3.6 per 10,000 athletic exposures, compared with a rate of 2.2 during competitions.How many concussions does the average person have?
Concussions are just one form of traumatic brain injury, though they are considered milder than other forms.Rate of concussion in the U.S. from 2010 to 2015, by age (per 1,000 members)
| Characteristic | Rate per 1,000 members |
|---|---|
| 10-14 years | 10.7 |
| 15-17 years | 18.8 |
| 18-19 years | 10.1 |
How many concussions do NFL players get?
The figure from this season, though, was still 20.3% lower than the number of reported concussions (281) from the 2017 season. NFL teams showed a reduction of reported concussions from practices in both the preseason and regular season from 53 in 2018 to 39.How long are football players out with a concussion?
They found that the players who suffered a concussion returned to play an average of 19 days later, which means they missed about 1.5 games. Data collected between 1996 and 2001 showed that NFL players were sidelined for six or fewer days after a concussion.How many concussions are too many?
Although there isn't a set answer as to how many concussions is too many, there are different variables that determine when concussions could turn into permanent damage. As the number of concussions suffered increases, so does the risk for developing long-term damage.How long do concussions last?
Concussion recovery and treatment. Approximately 80 percent of concussions resolve over seven to 14 days, with an average of 10 days. People with concussions should never return to sports or other physical activity sooner than one week from sustaining the injury.How do you avoid CTE in football?
Preventing CTE- wear the recommended protective equipment during contact sports.
- follow your doctor's recommendations about returning to play after concussion.
- make sure any contact sport you or your child take part in is supervised by a properly qualified and trained person.
