Hopefully not lost amid all the Super Bowl hype this week was this story: NFL players’ brains are taking a beating.

An ongoing study is finding football players who suffer multiple concussions are also suffering severe long-term brain damage, resulting in depression, memory problems or dying young.

As more evidence of this problem mounts, hopefully the NFL and the players’ union will take notice and take steps to address the situation. Football players are tough and know missing games can hurt their careers, but perhaps a mandatory sitting out one week after a concussion is a good (if unpopular) first step, at all levels of play. And hopefully, the NFL acknowledges its responsibility in dealing with these football-related injuries and not dismiss players’ problems as it did with Mike Webster.