Fourteen-year-old Emmett Jackson has always admired his father, the longtime coach of Riverview’s football team, and finally feels ready to try out himself. But after reading online discussions about football and brain injuries, he begins to question whether playing is worth the risk. While some argue that football is dangerous and not worth the long-term health consequences, others acknowledge the risks but still love and defend the sport. Now Emmett faces a difficult decision: should he follow in his father’s footsteps and join the team, or walk away from a sport that could carry serious consequences?

Emmett Jackson had grown up under the Friday night lights. His dad, Coach Jackson, had led Riverview’s football team for as long as Emmett could remember. Football wasn’t just a game in their house—it was a tradition, a legacy. At 14, Emmett had finally decided to try out for the team. He was excited, nervous, and proud. “I want to be just like you, Dad,” he had told his father.

But when Emmett searched online for advice about playing, what he found gave him pause. One post read:

“Knowing what I know now about football and CTE, would I let my kids play? No. So why do I enjoy watching other people's grown children play for my entertainment?”
(r/NFLNoobs)

Another commenter was even more direct:

“I wouldn’t want my kid to play football any more than I’d want them to cut themselves or start drinking in high school. If they want to destroy their brain as an adult, that’s their decision, but I wouldn’t support it.”
(r/AskALiberal)

Still, Emmett wasn’t ready to give up on the game. He came across other voices online who felt differently:

“Football is my favorite sport. I don’t love every single aspect of it in real life, but it’s one of my most-enjoyed forms of entertainment. I don’t like seeing players suffer serious injuries, but it’s something that can still happen.”
(r/NFLNoobs)

And some, like one user in a political thread, were hopeful about ways to make football safer:

“I care a great deal about football. I think just instituting weight limits on players and requiring use of helmets that measure the g-force and number of hits… could do a great deal to improve the safety of the game with existing technology.”
(r/AskALiberal)

Now Emmett was stuck. He wanted to be part of the team, but he also couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d read. Was he risking his future for a game? And what would his dad think if he decided not to play after all?