Curtis Martin says he would 'rather get hit up top than down low'

With all of the new information being discovered by scientists about just how serious concussions are and the long-lasting impact just a few of them can have, the NFL has tried to make some changes to the game to prevent them.

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It is clear and indisputable now that concussions are not something to be taken lightly. Multiple players who have submitted their brains to research have been found to have developed CTE, a degenerative brain disease. It can lead to memory loss, confusion, depression and in a few cases players have taken their own lives because of the suffering they were undergoing.

So in order to try and protect players from receiving more hits to the head, one step the NFL has taken is to enforce more penalties for illegal hits and increase fines as another deterrent.

But even with the new information and new rules about repeated hits to the head, some players would still rather take the concussion than a lower body injury. Take former New England Patriot and New York Jet, Curtis Martin.

From Eye on Football

"On Wednesday, Hall of Famer Curtis Martin — a former Jets star running back — weighed in on the topic, saying he’d rather take a shot to the head rather than lower in his body.“The league has made it safer, but you can’t avoid concussions… it’s just natural physics when you have guys that big and that fast hitting each other at full speed,” Martin said on CBS Radio. “I would rather get hit up top than hit down low.”"

It’s troubling that Martin would say this, and it shows just how much education about the serious effects of concussions is needed throughout the league. Yes, a knee injury may be devastating, but it won’t ruin your life.

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Curtis Martin says he would ‘rather get hit up top than down low’

By Jack Maloney | Jun 4, 2014