Football is a dangerous sport. No denying that. If you play it, probability is, that sooner or later you do get injured...
I can't speak for others, but what it gives me is a sense of community, when I was an expat and the "strange one" for the majority of my life. We play together, we trust each other, we push each other to greatness. I've been raised to know that I am accountable for any actions I do and any words I let escape my mouth. Therefore, I don't go into conflicts, I bite my tongue even when I am angry. But that does not mean that I am mellow and it often leads to accumulation of frustration. If I vent it out, it will be hurtful, it can damage people. Football is a great release of all my frustrations, of thinking of bills I have to pay and stuff I have to do and other people's expectations. I can vent and do something constructive, be part of something beautiful at the same time.
I get to hit people and the harder I do so, the more praise I get. I get to tell people what to do (as a middle/inside linebacker) - it's my privilege and my responsibility. I get help from my coaches and attention from senior players, always helping me to get better. I get to experience moments when I can't and discover that I CAN!
And I get to win and to share my joy over that with a whole crowd of other people and they share it with me.
Football is a team sport and that pushes me to be my best self, because my success is my team's success. It makes me want to share what I have learned with the rookies, because their success is my success. And it's a great sport to teach me trust as well. I have to trust my team mates. There is no football without trust. I cannot cover my zone, my player in man-to-man, if I don't trust the people around me and run off in all sorts of directions.
And last of all, especially in America, football is an opportunity for those, who were born less privileged, who have struggled in life, lived barely off the streets to hone their talent, hustle and improve their situation drastically. In America, being a good athlete can get you places, where you might not get otherwise.
