In Will Smith’s upcoming movie, Concussion, moviegoers will get a closer look at how brain injuries have affected the lives of professional football players. Specifically, the movie shows the brutal and sometimes fatal consequences of repeated concussions on professional football players.

The movie centers on the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, the doctor credited with discovering chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a brain disease caused by repeated concussions. In 2002, Dr. Omalu diagnosed the first football player with CTE, although only after he had died. CTE can cause early-onset dementia, memory loss, impulsive behavior, depression and suicide. Families have been torn apart by the condition and left with zero answers on why their loved ones unraveled before their eyes.

Concussion could become a big problem for the NFL because the movie suggests it knew players were dying from brain injuries and initiated a cover up. Writer and director Peter Landesman claimed the movie is based on actual things said and done by the NFL.

New Concussion Movie Could Raise Public Awareness of CTE and the NFL

The debate over CTE and the safety of athletes is one that needs to be put in the public spotlight. Many football players, even younger ones, could one day be affected by CTE. In a study carried out by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University, 87 of 91 former players who had donated their brains to science tested positive for CTE. This would suggest CTE is common, and not enough has been done to protect football players.

Although CTE develops later in life, there is speculation younger athletes can be at risk for developing the condition, although far more rarely.