American-Style Football and Cardiovascular Health

American-style football (ASF) is the most popular organized team sport in the United States, with approximate to 1 million high school, 1 70 000 collegiate, 2 and 2000 professional participants annually. 3,4 Although youthful competitive athletes are classically regarded as the paradigm of health and vitality, uncertainties surrounding the long-term health implications of ASF participation have recently become a topic of considerable interest and controversy. 5,6 Specifically, concerns about the impact of ASF participation on cardiovascular and neurocognitive health(7) have generated lively debates in the scientific literature, in the mainstream media, and within governing bodies that oversee ASF rules and regulations.