Jerome Harrison Brain Tumor: Why NFL Needs to Revamp Health Evaluations

We as fans can get so caught up in the excitement of an NFL game that we fail to think about the real-life consequences these players endure each and every week.

However, sometimes horrific health events can happen that are completely unrelated to the punishing game they play.

In the wake of the news that Detroit Lions running back Jerome Harrison has been diagnosed with a tumor in his brain, we are all reminded of such.

Why was he taking that physical?

He was set to be traded, along with a seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Ronnie Brown. When Harrison took his routine physical to make sure everything was okay…it wasn’t.

Now Harrison is undergoing treatment and all signs point to a full recovery. Without the trade and medical exam, it's doubtful Harrison's tumor would have been discovered, ESPN reports.

That’s a very scary thought.

Why wasn’t this tumor caught earlier?

How often does the NFL make players take a physical examination? Then again, why didn’t the Lions thoroughly examine him when signing him in August?

I know everyone is breathing a big sigh of relief because Harrison is going to be okay and possibly even play in the NFL again. However, it’s disturbing that it took a potential midseason trade to find out.

Sure Harrison didn’t get a tumor because he plays football, but the NFL needs to revamp their health testing and procedures.

With all of the head drama that is endured in the NFL today, why aren’t there more tests? Just look at Harrison’s teammate Jahvid Best.

Best has already suffered two concussions this season and people close to him have reportedly asked Best to strongly consider sitting out the rest of the year.

Obviously the Lions don’t want this to happen considering he is their only decent rusher, and head coach Jim Schwartz refuses to reveal anything, other than the fact he has no plans to put Best on injured reserve.

It speaks to the big problem in the NFL: lack of health awareness.

The NFL needs to upgrade their efforts and act like they care. It was an issue that got swept under the rug in the lockout negotiations and today we are all reminded of the scary outcomes that can occur.

The NFL didn’t give Harrison a brain tumor…but they could have done a much better job of detecting it earlier.