this is sad read on ARE

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2016...l-if-i-could-go-back-i-wouldnt-play-football/


Randle El told the paper that he has trouble walking down the stairs some days, and is suffering from serious memory lapse

 

very sad

 

Sad for sure. Not to underplay his injuries but I don't remember him taking any serious game head shots with the Steelers.

 

No way the NFL is not around in 25 years

 

Funny that these guys all want to place blame on the NFL..... the league that paid them..... but nobody ever says "hey I've been playing football since the age of 4..... I wonder if some of my ailments came from playing peewee all the way through college"....... as those years are most often way more than the average NFL player plays in the NFL.

 

Good point but the NFL has deeper pockets.$$$$$$

 

But also hits the hardest ..

I remember Merril Hoge talking about his battles with it too..Said he would be at a hotel ,go out for dinner then could not remember how to get back ..
Always lost his keys and would often forget what day it was ..

 

No doubt.

 

Legally, the fault does lie with the NFL. The NFL has an obligation to make it as safe as possible for its employees/players. There's a certain amount of risk of course, but the NFL has a duty to minimize that risk as much as possible.

Sure, these guys take head shots in high school and college as well, but the hits aren't nearly as fierce. I'm a hell of a lot stronger now than I was in high school and college.

 

Not so sure. At least in its current form.

I've said this before and it's pissed people off for some reason, but I can absolutely see football fading into the sunset within 20-25 years.

And my prediction is that it's going to die from the ground up. We are only just beginning to understand the seriousness of head injuries on kids. And the more we find out, IMO it will only be a matter of time before someone brings up the point of publicly funded schools supporting activities that have high probability of serious head injuries.

I can see in the not too distant future high school sports programs that are physical in nature being cut back leading to decreased numbers and talent going to the college level which will ripple up to the professional level and a drying up of talent and ultimately interest in the NFL.

 

I'm sorry but I don't really feel sorry for any of these guys who are complaining after the fact....if it wasn't for football who knows where they would be or how much worse their life could be. They had a choice and got payed pretty well for it. Many also have a career after football because of football....
A lot of people are living tough lives with tough jobs ...I'm in construction and I would gladly trade my schedule and my daily routine for a career in football even if it meant struggling to get down a flight of stairs....which I do now anyway. Show me the $$$$.......

 

It must have occurred when he went to the redskins, but no seriously, he was one of our greats and I hate to hear about this happening to a great guy. I was just telling a co worker that Ben will be bad off in his old age as well ...with all the injuries he's had.

 

That's terrible about ARE. We could always count on him to catch, throw, or return a TD when we needed it. I wish him the best in life.

 

i have had the same problem, and i nvr played 1 sec in the nfl, so

 

Always sad to see these type of stories. But all players that matriculate into the NFL know exactly what they are signing up for. Just like all people who smoke know exactly what they are putting in their bodies. People have every right to smoke but they shouldn't get to sue for millions because of a choice they made.

NFL players chose their careers. They get paid well. They know the risks. If there are health issues long-term after retirement, that stinks but it was the risk you took to get paid millions and have fun playing a game.

People that wash windows on high rise buildings are well aware of the risks, but are happy to assume those risks if they feel they are well compensated.

Football is a violent game. Injuries will happen. If you sign up for it, quit griping about it. Some people slave away for years and will never sniff the salaries of even a long snapper. Again, assume the risks, play the game, enjoy the game, get paid well...but quit complaining about your body years later.

 

That's because watching the Steelers on TV this year quickly turned into a hazardous occupation. My remote has no memory and can't function well due to repeated extreme trauma. I feel your pain man.

 

I just saw this on the news- was gonna post something about it.
I also feel bad for him, he's not that old either. He said that he wished he would've played baseball.

I don't think the NFL is going anywhere. It's like what they said on the news: a lot of guys that play football weren't privileged growing up. Football was their way out. A way to be famous, a way to make millions of dollars. When they're young, a lot of kids don't think about risks. They're impulsive too. In 25 years, there are still going to be kids in bad situations, looking to get out & looking to make their mark. Maybe they won't get started as young- because either their parents will care too much to put them in a youth football league or their parents won't care enough to do much of anything for them. There's too much money tied up in the NFL too. It's not a guarantee that you'll have these health problems either.
It would be tempting for anyone. Take this job, work 15 years at the most, you could make millions of dollars & if you're smart with your money, you'll be set for life. The downside is that you may have some health problems- some severe. Or you work this dead end job till you're 60+ years old. Then you try to retire on what little money you've saved. You won't get the same health issues- but who's to say that you won't get Alzheimer's? Cancer? A lot of kids don't even have the option to go to college.
Personally, I think I may pick the millions of dollars.
Geez, I've typed another freaking short story here.....sorry, I get carried away!

 

The problem is that just like with smoking or drinking or drunk driving, anything with a risk involved really is that you taken on that "it won't happen to me" mentality. We know that texting and driving can lead to accidents but we all still do it because we are safe drivers and it won't happen to us. Guys play professional football because they love the game and it will provide them with fame and fortune and they think hey the brain injuries and body breaking down is for guys taking risks that won't happen to me but it does.

 

Football is a way to a better life for some of these men. Roll the dice, maybe you win maybe you lose but you have to choose. if you have nothing else to turn to, maybe you take the chance. I'm glad my son had other choices, but many of these young men dont. As fans, we are subsidizing a shaky future for these men. Again, I'm grateful my son had other options.

 

Sad to read about ARE. I always liked watching him play. As they say, hindsight is 20/20. Was it his playing style that led to his decline now? Was it something that started in college? Earlier? Does genetics play a role? Michael Irvin, Jerry Rice, Chris Carter..........seem to be okay. ARE had the option to play baseball, most other players aren't so lucky, so they assume the risk. For some, the reward isn't worth the risk.

 

Sad news on ARE for sure. There will be legal repercussions from the head trauma. The NFL has deep pockets$$$. Roger Goofball certainly gave the prosecuting attorneys plenty of ammo with his handling (not handling) of the vicious hit to AB. Player safety, yeah right. Exhibit A; Burfict's hit on AB shown frame by frame in slow motion to the judge. I only hope they can retroactively take some of Goofball's salary.

 

you know that sounds good and have always said pretty much the same thing. I just happen to know a 11 year vet. he played his first game at the age of 22. his "career" was over at age of 34. don't get me wrong, he won 2 super bowls with 2 different teams and had a great career. made some money doing it. 12 years later, he is living paycheck to paycheck doing the same job you complain about having. he has to take pain killers to function. he has had 5 knee surgeries, 2 shoulder surgeries, wrist, ankle, and even a surgery to fix some fingers.

he told me not long ago in his 11 years he made just over 13 million dollars and thought he would be fine. well he wasn't. don't really know where it went. I know some went for illegal pills. I know he does own his home and 2 cars. now at 47 years old he cant walk through wal mart without having to sit down. he cant exercise and his job consist of running a crew of workers from his truck. he says not to feel sorry for him but its hard. he would do it all again if he could. I just don't think that people really understand what these players go through. I have always said, let me make that kinda money and I will never work again. it just doesn't always work that way

 

I do. I don't remember the game exactly, but I do remember him getting lit up over the middle...and hanging on to the ball.

 

He was a QB at Indiana. Probably took some shots there. I believe eventually the players will have to sign off on the dangers of head contact. Sign or no play = no payday. As far as the other physical stuff? Anyone who has played sports knows the physical risk. The head trauma is a different matter. The NFL should take care of these guys. But then again, our own government lets solders who have fought live on the streets. Both are businesses. It's a shame but I can't see the game with the magnitude of revenue going away.

 

Guys, even back before Mike Webster came in the league, players know they would be all stoved up as they got older. Even me as a 30 year Marine. They had to tell me to retire, you could only stay for 30 then, I go up steps 1 foot at a time and come down the same way. Why? Marine Corps Infantry. (didn't make millions there either) Would I let my son or grandson join the Marines? In a heart beat. ARE and those guys only had to look at Refrig Perry and Earl Campbell. They all knew what could happen coming in. ARE couldn't have founded a christian school had he not played football. Even Jerome Bettis. After a game he needed support walking till Wednesday. As someone above said. The NFL will still be here in 25 years.