Ellis Hobbs Not Paralyzed: What About Helmet-to-Helmet Hits?

(CBS) For football fans, it was a scary 11 minutes.

That's how long Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Ellis Hobbs lay motionless on the field during Sunday night's game against the New York Giants. He had suffered a helmet-to-helmet collision. Hobbs was eventually carted off raising both his hands to the sky with two thumbs up.

It was eerily reminiscent of Rutgers player Eric LeGrand, who, last month, lay motionless on the field for seven minutes after a helmet to helmet hit. LeGrand hasn't moved since.

Luckily, that was not Hobb's fate. After a full set of x-rays, team doctors now say the 5'9" Niagra Falls, N.Y., native suffered a neck injury but can move all of his extremities.

Still the injury, and the hard hit that caused it, once again brought the league's struggle to handle helmet-to-helmet collision into focus.

There is increasing evidence that repeated head traumas, even minor ones, can increase the risk of memory loss and dementia as players age.

According to Time, "a study commissioned by the NFL found that ex-pro players over age 50 were five times as likely as the national population to receive a memory-related-disease diagnosis. Players 30 to 49 were 19 times as likely to be debilitated."

And scientists are now finding evidence that those repeated collisions may be linked to a debilitating brain disorder called chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The disease, characterized by memory loss, dementia and erratic behavior, was previously seen most often in boxers.

Not anymore.

Earlier this year, Cincinnati Bengals player Chris Henry died after jumping on the back of a truck driven by his fiancee. The pair were in the midst of a chaotic domestic dispute and witnesses described Henry as acting wildly.

An autopsy discovered protein deposits in his brain which are synonymous with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He was only 26.

Twenty one other NFL players have been diagnosed with the disease after their deaths, according to the New York Times.

In response, the league has become more vigilant about helmet-to-helmet hits, issuing stiff penalties for players that engage in them.

But that's controversial, not only because the culture of football prides itself on tough hits, but because it's often difficult for players to prevent them in the split second adjustments before impact.

Last night's hit on Hobbs was brutal. But it was also perfectly legal. And Hobbs response was telling, both of the toughness of NFL players and why hard hits, regardless of the risks, may be part of the game's culture for a long time to come.

He told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, "I'll be back."

MORE HEALTH CONTENT FROM CBS NEWS