WHEELING, W.Va. — With “Concussion” set for theater release Christmas Day, a Wheeling attorney recalled the Pittsburgh Steeler legend who came to him for help, and who became the symbol for head injuries caused by an NFL career.
Bob Fitzsimmons remembered his first meeting with “Iron” Mike Webster, who won four Super Bowls as the Steelers center but died at age 50 after suffering from dementia.
“I remember thinking at that time, here’s this guy with all these major problems at this point in his life; somebody that you and I, and everyone else in the world when we were kids probably idolized and wanted to be like,” Fitzsimmons told MetroNews “Talkline” on Monday. “And here he was asking for help.”
Fitzsimmons pieced together Webster’s medical records, a process made difficult because the lineman’s memory was so poor he couldn’t remember the doctors he had seen.
“He couldn’t remember a lot of the people he had met,” Fitzsimmons said.
“Concussion” features Will Smith portraying Bennet Omalu, the forensic pathologist who fought the NFL’s efforts to suppress his research on brain damage suffered by players. Fitzsimmons said the NFL finally has responded to make some amends.
“We need to make the game safer. If you watch the NFL they’re on the verge of getting rid of the kickoff and the punt, which are exciting plays,” he said. “Either getting rid of those or making those less dangerous.”
In 2011, the NFL moved kickoffs from the 30 to the 35-yard line, resulting in more touchbacks and fewer kick returns. Last year, NFL owners voted down a proposal to advance the kickoff an additional 5 yards to the 40.
“It’s common sense—if you beat up the brain and you hit the brain so many times, you’re going to end up with some damage,” Fitzsimmons said. “We all know that. It’s no secret, but for whatever reason no one ever pronounced and offered that as a theory.”
Fitzsimmons criticized the NFL’s effort to suppress and discredit concussion research, and wanted to see a safer game result from “Concussion.
Producer Ridley Scott’s film was inspired by his study of former NFL stars Junior Seau and Dave Duerson, both of whom committed suicide after suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).