Is the NFL Quietly Working Against Him?

When a gunman stormed a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper in late July—killing four people in a building that also houses the NFL’s headquarters—most headlines focused on the violence itself. But details soon emerged that made the story harder to dismiss.

The shooter, a former high school football player, left behind a note blaming the NFL for his mental decline and pointing directly to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease that has haunted football for decades.

A Violent Reminder of Football’s Hidden Cost

Reports suggest the shooter had initially targeted NFL executives, though most of the victims were tied to Blackstone and Rudin Management. His message was clear: the league had destroyed his mind and life.

The tragedy reignited debate about the long-term dangers of head trauma and the NFL’s responsibility, once again putting CTE at the center of public attention.

Enter Him

Months later, MonkeyPaw began promoting Him, a film said to be raw and unflinching in its depiction of CTE’s toll. Unlike Concussion (2015), which dramatized the NFL’s resistance to science, Him reportedly follows the unraveling of a player whose symptoms blur the line between self-destruction and violence.

Industry insiders suggest the league is uneasy. One source claimed “doors were closing” for the filmmakers, with distributors suddenly hesitant and early reviews leaning mixed.

There is no official link between the shooting and the movie. Yet the timing is awkward. The NFL has long faced accusations of controlling the concussion narrative. Critics say it pressured studios and softened scripts. The league often settled lawsuits behind closed doors. Media partners, reliant on NFL access, discouraged deeper reporting on head trauma.

When Concussion premiered, reports suggested the NFL influenced Sony Pictures to soften its script. Former players who sued often accepted payouts with strict confidentiality agreements.

The Question Hanging Over Him

The Manhattan tragedy laid bare the cost of ignoring CTE. Now, Him threatens to crystallize that reality on screen. Whether the NFL is actively trying to suppress the film is unclear, but its history of narrative control makes the speculation believable.

The bigger question is not about one movie—it’s about whether the NFL can face the consequences of its game, or if it will once again silence those who dare to put the truth on screen.