High school football participation declining — but not just because of concussions

Since 2003, the number of schools fielding 11-man football teams has held steady, but the number of players has dropped by about 4,000, according to data from the National Federation of State High School Associations. This is a story I wrote for the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Data Drop feature, a series in which reporters explain the news via data and graphics, à la the New York Times’ The Upshot.