Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 671: Oscillation Effect
 

“Huff…”

“Li Wei stood up by himself, didn’t sit on the stretcher, and it seemed he wasn’t seriously hurt, which is good news for the Kansas City Chiefs.”

“But Li Wei still left the field with the team doctor by his side, as he needed to undergo a concussion protocol. He can only return to the field after passing the League-certified test.”

“Right now, the entire Arrowhead Stadium is standing up, applauding for their number twenty-three, hoping this incident won’t have too much impact. This is the first time Li Wei has been injured and had to leave the field since joining the League.”

“The referee just called a yellow flag foul on Mosley of the Baltimore Ravens for a roughing hit. There’s no doubt about the flag, and what’s more, Mosley’s hit could be suspected of malicious intent. The League will need to review the game footage after the match to decide if any additional punishment is necessary.”

“Let’s watch the replay again…”

Noise, chaos, boiling over.

Li Wei, accompanied by the team doctor, slowly left the field, while all the Kansas City Chiefs players gathered together, watching with solemn faces as Li Wei departed.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber—

Although everyone knows that injuries and accidents are inevitable on the football field, and the running back position has the highest attrition rates, being nicknamed “monthly discard,” “seasonal discard,” “annual discard.” It’s no wonder running backs’ salaries never seem to rise.

Yet, at this moment, seeing Li Wei spin like a windmill, the breathing at Arrowhead Stadium was cut short and uncontrollable worries began to rise.

Others may not know, but Arrowhead Stadium sincerely hoped that Li Wei wasn’t just a shooting star brushing past in haste.

Then.

In the stands alongside the player tunnel, calls for Li Wei’s name erupted, one after another, faces filled with sincere worry and care, bodies leaned out, voices hoarse with strenuous shouting.

Karen Gray was no exception, her heart contracted as she gazed unwaveringly at Li Wei’s figure, then couldn’t help but look down at Felix in the wheelchair.

Just moments ago, Felix was still continuously calling Li Wei’s name, but now he had quieted down, hands clenching the armrests tightly.

Karen called out worriedly, “Felix.”

Felix’s gaze never strayed, silently watching Li Wei—

Li Wei heard the calls, lifted his head, raised the helmet in his right hand, and swung it, his lips forming a broad smile, confident and composed, as if he was just heading to the locker room for a water break and some snacks.

His unruffled demeanor faced the hurricane and downpour with dignity, hitting a home run against injuries and turning setbacks into triumphs.

The thin sunshine of a bitter winter afternoon in Kansas City fell sparsely on Li Wei’s shoulders but paled in the face of that open smile.

Involuntarily, Felix straightened his back a little: he believed in him.

Karen seemed to hear something but not clearly, and called out again, “Felix?”

Felix, gazing at Li Wei, leaned forward and called out loudly, “Rookie, I have faith in you.”

It wasn’t just belief, but a conviction, almost a creed.

Among the thronging voices, Li Wei caught that slightly different sound, stopped in his tracks, looked toward the source, but at first only saw a sea of red until he finally spotted the figure in the wheelchair.

Gazes intersected.

The smile on Li Wei’s lips blossomed like the first warm sunray of an early spring, quietly climbing the branches and proudly unfurling.

Feet, continued moving forward.

But Felix knew that was Li Wei’s response: he could do it. He definitely could.

The hubbub and busyness of the field were temporarily left behind as Li Wei entered the medical room and immediately saw the representative of the Kansas City Chiefs, Lilith, and several unfamiliar faces quickly approaching him.

Li Wei glanced at their badges and could basically confirm they were official personnel from the League, always on standby at each game for one reason—

Concussion.

In football, besides the well-known sports injuries, there was one hidden in the dark, an invisible injury, also a lethal one, concussion.

In 2009, “GQ” magazine published a professional medical research paper, specifically studying “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy,” abbreviated as “CTE.”

CTE could cause severe issues such as memory loss, behavior out of control, and a tendency toward suicide, and the predominant cause of this disease to date came from thousands of continuous, repetitive impacts to the head—

Specifically in football.

In other words, the continual impacts in football not only could cause concussions but might also lead to uncontrollable behavior, violence, and even suicide after players retired, yet it hadn’t received official attention.

According to multiple research data, among the 631 football players examined, as many as 71% faced some degree of CTE distress.

The worst cases often surfaced in those who attracted the most head impacts, such as defensive backs, wide receivers, and running backs.

After the study was published, the NFL denied the findings and tried to bury the evidence, rejecting any connection between several former football players who had died due to CTE and the head impacts they had encountered during their careers, even denying football could cause concussions. This became the biggest scandal within Goodell’s tenure—

After all, once this study was confirmed, parents in the future were unlikely to allow their children to continue playing football at the risk of their lives.

However, you can’t hide the truth forever, and ultimately, Goodell couldn’t stop the spread of public opinion, which escalated and finally spiraled out of control.

Later, the incident was adapted into the movie “Concussion,” starring Will Smith, which premiered in 2015 and reignited widespread concern,

The research on CTE was eventually proven correct. If care was not taken, players could indeed face many potential health problems or even death after retirement. Under the pressure of the Players’ Union and public opinion, Goodell had to admit his mistakes, and subsequent policies were introduced to protect the players.

That’s why the League now frequently amends the rules, strictly penalizing malicious collisions, and paying extra attention to potential risks of concussions.

Every player with a possibility of concussion must pass the official League test as well as a formal report from the team; otherwise, they must undergo suspension due to injury, a minimum of four weeks, with no cap, until the player passes the concussion test.

At this moment, that was exactly the case.

When Li Wei faced the potential danger of a concussion, the medical team of the League was the first to take the field, working together with the team’s medical staff to complete the examination.

This was the only way to ensure Li Wei could return to the field quickly.

Entering the players’ tunnel, the whole mood and atmosphere immediately shifted.

Unable to hold back, Li Wei made a joke, “What is this, a ‘Star Wars’ escort procession taking Han Solo to the Death Star?”

One second, two seconds—

Pfft.

Despite knowing that the situation was not suitable for jokes, ultimately someone couldn’t help it and burst into laughter, hurriedly avoiding eye contact and snickering.

The atmosphere immediately relaxed.

But Li Wei noticed a death glare, coming from Lilith.