The most obvious of these harms is the long-term injury — specifically brain injury — to players. There is continued evidence of football’s relationship with traumatic brain injury, dementia, memory loss, depression and premature death.
A 2017 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, said 177 of 202 former football players studied of all levels had Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), including 110 of the 111 NFL players studied.
By all means, enjoy the game, but remember this.