Quotes from Ann McKee

It makes common sense that children, whose brains are rapidly developing, should not be hitting their heads hundreds of times per season.

They're elite athletes. They're amazing athletes. That's why I love football. I mean, it's incredible to me to see them go out for an unbelievable pass and actually make the catch. It's just an amazing game of athleticism and skill. They're different; there's no question. They're huge, they're fast, and they're all these wonderful things.

We're hoping that there is large-scale recognition that CTE is a risk when playing football.

This is what I do. I look at brains. I'm fascinated by it. I can spend hours doing it. In fact, if I want to relax, that's one way I can relax.

I'm concerned about the future of football, because we have paid a lot of attention to concussions. We are more aware of concussions. But it's really the repetitive minor injuries, the ones that are asymptomatic that occur on almost every play of the game, the sub-concussive hits: that's the big problem for football.

While we know, on average, that certain positions experience more repetitive head impacts and are more likely at greater risk for CTE, no position is immune.

Subconcussive injuries are brain injuries on top of unrecovered brain injuries.

I started out as a neurologist. I then trained in neuropathology and was focused on neurodegeneration. So, for years, I studied Alzheimer's, aging, Parkinson's, that kind of thing.

The overwhelming evidence is that trauma is a major factor in CTE.

My greatest hope is that we learn how trauma induces neurodegeneration in susceptible individuals.

My son was a goalkeeper in soccer, and he luckily never had much head trauma. He never had any concussions or anything. I really wanted him to play football, but now I'm thankful he didn't.

CTE can be caused by smaller hits to the head over time.

I have a little easier time watching the NFL than college or high school. I used to go to the high school games, and now I have trouble with it. The NFL players get big rewards from it. I feel at least the NFL has made big changes to help their safety. And they're adults - they can make good decisions.

My three children played soccer and lacrosse. I grew up as a Green Bay Packers fan. I am not against sports. We want kids to play sports, but we want them to be safe.

Football is an extraordinarily popular sport, and the whole game is played around this issue. The whole makeup of the game involves these subconcussive hits. I don't know how they're going to solve that problem. I don't think they know how they're going to solve that problem.

It's almost un-American to say that you want to change football.

If football is your passion in life and you would rather play football for 20 years and have a shortened life span, that's your choice.

Our national identity is so interwoven with football.

Kids' brains are developing. Their heads are a larger part of their body, and their necks are not as strong as adults' necks. So kids may be at a greater risk of head and brain injuries than adults.

I love sports, OK? But I think we really need to take it on ourselves to not be so crazy about sports, not to risk someone's future just because we think they might be the next star.

I feel like Dr. Death.

The thing you want your kids to do most of all is succeed in life and be everything they can be. And if there's anything that may infringe on that, that may limit that, I don't want my kids doing it.

I think you have to be creative to make a difference in science.