The Frightening and Fraught Future of Genetic Testing

It's 2039, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are fresh off their win in Super Bowl LXXIII, their third straight championship victory. The team's genetic consultants are meeting to go over the genotyping data of the management's favorite draft picks. The team is looking to add an outside linebacker to their defense, but their favorite pick has a worrisome genetic variant that suggests he'll be slow to recover from joint injuries. A promising running back, who could be part of a trade deal, has a rare combination of DNA mutations that appear to have a protective effect against concussions, but there is some evidence that players with these mutations are more likely to be extreme risk-takers. The consultants briefly glance at the data on fast-twitch muscle variants; this information isn't so useful with the players' college performance record already in hand, but the genetic team likes to check for any surprising results.

Could this really happen? Will genetic testing become a routine part of our society's decision-making, influencing professional sports, the military, parole boards, political campaigns, and our own health, education, and...