We all watch football. But who is playing it?

2024-02-11

Today on a bonus episode of “Post Reports” in honor of the Super Bowl, we go to one of the communities where tackle football still reigns. Read more:For decades, few things have united America as consistently and completely as football. But when it comes to actually playing tackle football — and risking the physical toll of a sport linked to brain damage — there are wide divisions marked by politics, economics and race, an examination by The Washington Post found. As the sport grapple...

Today on a bonus episode of “Post Reports” in honor of the Super Bowl, we go to one of the communities where tackle football still reigns.

For decades, few things have united America as consistently and completely as football. But when it comes to actually playing tackle football — and risking the physical toll of a sport linked to brain damage — there are wide divisions marked by politics, economics and race, an examination by The Washington Post found.

As the sport grapples with the steep overall decline in participation among young people, some of those divisions appear to be getting wider, The Post found, with football’s risks continuing to be borne by boys in places that tend to be poorer and more conservative — a revelation with disturbing implications for the future of the sport.

Today on the show, we go to one of the communities where tackle football still reigns with reporter Michael Lee.

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Maggie Penman, Joe Tone, and KC Schaper. It was mixed by Sam Bair.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Comments (3)