Youth football safety debate is rekindled by the same-day deaths of 2 young players
Ryan Craddock had seen his share of tragedy during two decades as a coal miner and firefighter.
Then came the toughest heartbreak of all: his own.
Craddock and his family are mourning the loss of his 13-year-old son, Cohen, who died from brain trauma last month after making a tackle during football practice at his middle school.
Cohen’s death, and the death of a 16-year-old Alabama high school player from a brain injury on the same day, have sparked renewed debate about whether the safety risks of youths playing football outweigh the benefits that the sport brings to a community.
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