Concussions are one of the most common injuries sustained in high-contact sports. Nowhere is this more evident than in the National Football League (NFL), where it’s estimated that at least one player on a team suffers a concussion every five games. With such a high incidence rate, the need for more concussion-based research and awareness grows every season.
On Friday, October, 22, Pain Resource’s Zach Pottle sat down with retired NFL athlete Fred Willis to talk about the ongoing issues of concussions and pain management in the National Football League.
Fred played six seasons as a running back in the NFL from 1971 to 1976. During his time with the league, Fred played for the Cincinnati Bengals, where he was first drafted, for two seasons, and the Huston Oilers for four seasons. During his professional career, Fred became the first running back in the history of the NFL to win the pass receiving title.
Fred was a union representative and Executive Board member for the National Football League Players Association and is the founder and CEO of Neurosport, where he leads an amazing team of concussion specialists to provide concussion tests for all athletes.
Fred is currently the Director of Operations for Pain Resource, where he uses his 20+ years of advocacy surrounding the concussion problem in the NFL to help provide retired professional athletes with the support and understanding they need.
During his interview, Fred spoke about his NFL career, the injuries he’d sustained during his six seasons as a running back, and his decades of advocacy as a retired player.
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Excellent discussion. Real issues and to the point on pain issues.