Damar Hamlin collapse splits parents over football safety: ‘I want my son to play’ vs. ‘No way’

In 2021, when she was pregnant with her first child and learned she was having a boy, Vanessa Scott made a vow: Her son would never play football.

Shaken by the alarming number of athletes who’ve suffered life-altering injuries to their bodies and brains, most notably chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, Scott cradled her growing belly and said a definitive “No.” Her resolve has only strengthened since Zyden, now 16 months old, was born.

“Putting my son in a sport that could cause him permanent injury or brain trauma is not something I’m interested in at all,” the 40-year-old, Phoenix, Ariz., mother told The Post.

There’s just one problem: Her husband, Buddy Scott, is a former Alabama State University football star with dreams of having his boy follow in his cleated footsteps.

Vanessa Scott tells The Post that she and husband Buddy have had a number of “heated debates” about ever allowing their son to play football in light of the medical dangers.

Vanessa Scott

Vanessa says Buddy, a one-time college football athlete, doesn't believe their child will sustain serious injuries on the field. — Vanessa says Buddy, a one-time college football athlete, doesn’t believe their child will sustain serious injuries on the field.

“[He] envisions our son being a linebacker like he was,” Scott said of her partner, who was unable to comment directly for this article.

The sudden, nearly fatal cardiac arrest of the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin, 24, in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this month is the latest incident to thrust the issue of football safety into the spotlight. Parents are increasingly passionate about what side of the field they stand on when it comes to letting their own children play, with the issue even dividing some families.

“Buddy doesn’t think [the risk of injury] will be that big of a deal for Zyden,” Scott said. “We’ve had some really heated debates about it.”

An April 2022 study conducted by Boston University on the long-term health outcomes for football players noted that in addition to experiencing a higher risk of CTE, the athletes are also “at increased risk for sleep apnea, rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder, cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation and opioid use.”

After tackling opponent Tee Higgins, Hamlin collapsed on the field and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.

Days after his harrowing incident, Hamlin regained consciousness in the hospital and asked "did we win." — Days after his harrowing incident, Hamlin regained consciousness in the hospital and asked, “Did we win?”

Hamlin suffered a serious heart-related episode during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in the beginning of January.

Parents on Twitter are eagerly debating what Hamlin’s injury — which followed a mid-game concussion sustained by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, 24, in December — means for youth in the sport.

“This Hamlin situation is pushing me farther from letting my son play football,” tweeted one outraged mom.

“I’m sorry but I can’t see myself letting my son play football even though I love watching it,” wrote a father. “My heart couldn’t take my son possibly getting hurt like that.”

Miami Dolphins player Tua Tagovailoa suffered a major concussion during a game in December.

Luccii Blanco, 32, a mother of one and fashion stylist from Atlanta, told The Post that she’s refusing to let her son, Cartier, now 2, touch the pigskin.

“At any time during games or practice a player can be seriously or fatally injured,” said Blanco. “Those helmets and that heavy equipment doesn’t really protect [the body], and players suffer mentally and physically. Changes need to be made.”

But football-obsessed dad of three Michael Lynche — a former American Idol contestant who played college ball — isn’t letting recent headlines stop him from letting his 10-year-old son Kingston play quarterback in the local tackle league.

Lynche says Kingston's innate fervency for football lead him and his wife to allow the 10-year-old to play., despite their concerns for his safety. — Lynche says Kingston’s innate fervency for football led him and his wife to allow the 10-year-old to play, despite their concerns for his safety.

“If you approach anything with the mindset that something bad is going to happen, it will happen. So, we don’t spend too much time worrying about negative [outcomes],” said Lynche, 39, a former college defensive lineman at the University of Central Florida. His wife Christa also supports Kingston playing tackle football, though the couple had some initial concerns.

“We were a little apprehensive about it at first,” Lynche said. “But there’s such beauty in showing yourself as a warrior. And when we looked in Kingston’s eyes, we saw that warrior spirit. He really wanted to play.”

Lynche says daughters Violet (left) and Laila (far right) enjoy playing flag football, but Kingston shows true promise as a tackle athlete.

Andre Rawls, 31, from Richmond, Virginia, has similar feelings when it comes to his 6-year-old son, Andre Jr., and the gridiron.

“I want my son to continue to do what he loves,” said the father. “I played football my whole life and even though I knew the risks, I loved the sport,” he added, noting he suffered several concussions and a major stomach injury.

Rawls has some concerns, but he isn’t prepared to bench his boy any time soon.

Kingston, 10, is the quarterback on his team in Astoria, Queens. — Kingston, 10, is the quarterback on his team in Astoria.

“I’d be lying if I said [the possibility of injury] didn’t bother me,” he said. “Nobody wants to see their kids hurt. But, if you love the sport, you’re willing to take the risk.”

Scott, however, said she can’t overlook the potential dangers. For now, she and Buddy are shelving the issue until Zyden is older.

“If he really wants to play, that’s going to be a really rough call for me to make,” the concerned mom said of her son. “I’ll try my hardest to get him interested in other sports like basketball [or] baseball.”

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