Football is one sport that is played most consistently around the world. According to FIFA's Big Count survey in 2006, there were 265 million players actively involved in soccer around the world, roughly about 4 percent of the world's population. It's not practised or dominated by one particular country. The professionals of playing football requires conditioning and strength training, which are excellent forms of exercise and good for cardiovascular health. “So it's really a good overall health benefit to someone in any age group.” Playing football is also a great way to improve concentration.

While football may not yet be on its deathbed, as suggested by Michael Oriard, it is in a period of rapid decline and change. This week, enjoy the Super Bowl, and know that the golden years of football of in America's past are unlikely to resemble how the sport evolves into the 21st century. Now, just ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl, a new study casts another shadow over the game: Career players in the National Football League (NFL) have slightly higher rates of early death than their peers who didn't play professionally, according to a report published in JAMA.

The dangers of professional football is a hot topic. Studies have found high rates of concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and a serious brain disorder called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in former players. These injuries can have terribly debilitating effects.