OG Therapy #117- "Is Tua done? Koz and Kenneth break open the reality of the effects concussions have on athletes"

·34 min·3 clips

David shares his 17 concussions and how they caused a 15-year speech impediment.

This episode features host David "Koz" Koslowski, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and special guest Kenneth "K. Scott" Scott discussing concussions in football through the lens of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's recent injuries. They connect the topic to their personal experiences with football and head trauma. Koz reveals he has suffered 17 total concussions, which led to a speech impediment for over 15 years and left seven unhealed bruises on his brain according to past scans. He recounts watching his older brother, an NFL player for the Dolphins, get knocked unconscious and return to a game after smelling salts, illustrating outdated protocols. The hosts play a news clip detailing Tua Tagovailoa's seizures on the field and reactions from figures like Dez Bryant and Shannon Sharpe, who argue he should retire. Koz notes that neurologists once told him each concussion requires about a full year for the brain to heal fully. Kenneth shares his own experience of blacking out, cracking his skull on a marble floor, and experiencing a fencing response similar to Tua's. They discuss the degenerative brain disease CTE, referencing the suicide of NFL linebacker Junior Seau, who documented his mental struggles in journals. An interesting insight is that Koz believes a person with multiple concussions may not be in the best mental state to make a major career decision, comparing it to advising someone who is suicidal not to "drive the vehicle of their life." Kenneth highlights the athlete's identity crisis, fearing retirement could lead to depression or suicidal thoughts without proper support. They analyze the pressure Tua might feel as a Samoan athlete, noting the cultural significance and statistical overrepresentation of Samoans in the NFL. Koz references the book *Tribe* by Sebastian Junger, suggesting a veteran's PTSD severity depends more on their homecoming reception than combat exposure, and applies this to how Tua's support network should approach his decision. The conversation shifts to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who returned to play after a cardiac arrest, as a potential model of overcoming adversity that Tua might emulate. Koz expresses a hope that Tua could become a spokesperson for concussion dangers, using his platform for advocacy. Kenneth shares a pivotal moment from college when a classmate introduced him to *The Art of War* and the Japanese concept of Ikigai, which helped him plan for life after football. Koz mentions that the prefrontal cortex, responsible for long-term planning, finishes developing around age 25, which is Tua's current age range. They suggest Tua could assemble a "board of directors," like Shaquille O'Neal does, for major decisions to avoid feeling alone. The tone is conversational and personal, blending anecdotal stories with psychological perspectives. This episode would deeply resonate with football fans, parents of young athletes, and anyone interested in sports psychology and athlete welfare. Listeners seeking purely statistical analysis or league policy debate might find it less focused.

As heard by us

A clear look at football safety, concussion risk, and the identity strain that can come with deciding whether to keep playing.

OG Therapy #117 stays focused on a real football safety worry instead of drifting into broad talk. Koz and K. Scott take up a parent's question about whether football is safe for a teenager, then move into concussion risk, repeated head trauma, and the strain that can come with…

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Why you'd press play

For when football stops feeling like sports talk and starts feeling like a family decision.

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