Robert W. Turner, "Not For Long"

Robert W. Turner discusses his book, "Not For Long", at Politics and Prose on 8/6/18.

As the public becomes more aware of the health risks associated with football, other aspects of pro ball are also coming under scrutiny. Turner, a research scientist in the Center on Biobehavioral Health Disparities Research at Duke who once played professionally, faults the NFL for a labor agreement that provides little job security and few health and retirement benefits, while its refusal to share power with players ensures that the system doesn’t change. Drawing on interviews with more than one hundred current and past NFL players, Turner shows that the league’s policies are directly responsible for leaving former players with chronic pain, financial ruin, and few marketable job skills.

Robert W. Turner II earned his Ph.D. in sociology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is Assistant Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership at George Washington University. Dr. Turner played football professionally in the now defunct United States Football League, the Canadian Football League, and briefly in the National Football League.

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Produced by Tom Warren