“In Roman times, people would come cheer the gladiators… And then when they were done with them, as you know historically, they fed them to the lions” – Harvey Steinberg
Steinberg, the attorney representing former NFL defensive lineman Justin Bannan, argued that American society is failing its NFL gladiators.
Bannan suffers from the effects of chronic head trauma from his 12-year NFL career. In September 2021, Bannan was found guilty of attempted murder and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison for shooting a female acupuncturist. Bannan, part owner of the building where the shooting took place, claimed he was hiding from the Russian Mafia when he shot an unsuspecting woman.
Americans love to watch NFL football on Sunday, but we seldom discuss the effects this gladiator sport has on our favorite athletes and the society we live in. Despite America’s infatuation with the sport, it’s beginning to realize the physical toll associated with its gladiator obsession.
As the prevalence of a “gridiron to jail pipeline” continues to rise, what happens when America’s best athletes spend years banging their heads together? How does the criminal legal system fill the void for treatment and care? And how does systemic racism dictate who’s harmed?
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