Its nothing short of a miracle that Damar Hamlin is alive, alert, and on his way home. The 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety collapsed last Monday during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals after a routine tackle due to what appeared to be cardiac arrest . On the field, he received CPR as millions of worried fans looked on.

While its still unclear what caused Hamlins heart to stop that evening, the severity and frequency of injuries in the sport and the NFLs unwillingness to protect their players further affirms my feelings about keeping my son as far away from football as possible. Though he is still a baby, I already spend time thinking about which schools my son will attend, which hobbies hell choose, and how hell navigate this world as a Black man. My no-football rule will probably upset some of my uncles and cousins who believe adrenaline and aggression are what makes a man. But to keep it short and sweet, to hell with patriarchy, racism and the NFL.

Ultimately, it was NFL execs reported failure to make an immediate decision to cancel the game as athletic trainers, medics and other officials on the ground scrambled to save Hamlins life that cemented my disdain for the game. In a league where 70% of athletes are Black like Hamlin, decisions like this one clearly prioritize money and fandom over Black lives.

Hamlins injury quickly reignited conversations around the lack of equity in an industry where team owners and decision-makers are overwhelmingly wealthy and white. The net worth of many NFL team owners, who sometimes also benefit from generational wealth, is upward of one billion dollars.