Randle-El, struggling with physical and mental problems, regrets playing football

[Ghost of Frenchy Fuqua]

I hated to see this, especially at his young age (36). He says he has difficulty walking down stairs.

I'm guessing ESPN will do more on this today or tomorrow:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/1...antwaan-randle-el-wishes-chosen-play-football

 

[slashsteel]

These football players know the sport comes with risks.

All that money, if you choose the big bucks highlife, be able to deal with whatever comes your way afterwards.

 

[Steel G]

I read that piece from the unnamed paper and thought the same thing, pretty sad. There were a couple players from that piece that aren't doing the best physically.

 

[MTC]

These football players know the sport comes with risks.

All that money, if you choose the big bucks highlife, be able to deal with whatever comes your way afterwards.

I agree. Society will think different though. I wouldnt be surprised if football gets axed in the future. It will be a sad day

 

[Ironcitysteelers]

I agree. Society will think different though. I wouldnt be surprised if football gets axed in the future. It will be a sad day

Society loves this just as the Romans did.

What will end it is lawsuits making the owners not making money.

 

[AggieSteel]

It's a shame and I feel bad that he has these limitations already, especially at such a young age

But I will say I highly doubt he regrets making millions, being a Super Bowl champion, and enjoying the height of his profession. It's easy to look back and say you wish you never did something when you've already done it and lived it to the fullest. He'd be kicking himself with regret even more if he went all the way through to 36 without living out his physical gifts to the fullest. Most people are just not wired to pass up these kinds of opportunities and be perfectly okay with it. So yeah, now that he is having troubles it's easy to say "I wish I never would have" but come on, he's not trading those experiences

It reminds me of women who chose to slut it up all through their teens and 20s then turn around as a more mature adult and say "I wish I was a virgin again". Come on, no you don't. You would have never let yourself get to this point in your life without experiencing that. If you did, you'd be bemoaning the fact that you are still a virgin and don't know what sex feels like. So yeah.. not buying

 

[MTC]

Society loves this just as the Romans did.

What will end it is lawsuits making the owners not making money.

Im not saying people don't love watching football. Its that parents are not letting their kids play the sport like in years past. The future of the sport can be in trouble. Players know what they get into. There shouldnt be any lawsuits

 

[hcmd]

These football players know the sport comes with risks.

All that money, if you choose the big bucks highlife, be able to deal with whatever comes your way afterwards.

Have to agree with you slashsteel. Like we average joes doing blue collar manual labor jobs. You know or should know.that doing that type job for x number of years. You are gonna have physical issues not so late in life. But, that was the path many of us went down without the benefits of earning NFL type money. Not trying to diminish the price Randle-El has paid. Prayers to you El stay positive and fight the good fight.

 

[Ironcitysteelers]

He said "sometimes my wife has to tell me things over and over again, and she says I just told you that". My god I have CTE cause my wife says the same thing!

Sucks for El I aways liked him. I just don't remember him getting beat up that bad when he was with us. The person I fear in the future for what he put his body through is Troy. That dude has more head injuires that were never disclosed (by him). You could tell he knocked himself out but jumped right up

 

[slashsteel]

He said "sometimes my wife has to tell me things over and over again, and she says I just told you that". My god I have CTE cause my wife says the same thing!

Sucks for El I aways liked him. I just don't remember him getting beat up that bad when he was with us. The person I fear in the future for what he put his body through is Troy. That dude has more head injuires that were never disclosed (by him). You could tell he knocked himself out but jumped right up

yeah I would actually be surprised if Troy didn't report some physical limitations a little later on.

 

[MTC]

He said "sometimes my wife has to tell me things over and over again, and she says I just told you that". My god I have CTE cause my wife says the same thing!

Sucks for El I aways liked him. I just don't remember him getting beat up that bad when he was with us. The person I fear in the future for what he put his body through is Troy. That dude has more head injuires that were never disclosed (by him). You could tell he knocked himself out but jumped right up

I remember watching an interview with Troy. And the reporter asked him a basic question along the lines of "what was his wallpaper on his phone" Troy was stumped for a moment before he figured out his wallpaper was his kids. My favorite Steeler besides Hines recently. I'm worried about 43

 

[CharlesDavenport]

It's a shame and I feel bad that he has these limitations already, especially at such a young age

But I will say I highly doubt he regrets making millions, being a Super Bowl champion, and enjoying the height of his profession. It's easy to look back and say you wish you never did something when you've already done it and lived it to the fullest. He'd be kicking himself with regret even more if he went all the way through to 36 without living out his physical gifts to the fullest. Most people are just not wired to pass up these kinds of opportunities and be perfectly okay with it. So yeah, now that he is having troubles it's easy to say "I wish I never would have" but come on, he's not trading those experiences

It reminds me of women who chose to slut it up all through their teens and 20s then turn around as a more mature adult and say "I wish I was a virgin again". Come on, no you don't. You would have never let yourself get to this point in your life without experiencing that. If you did, you'd be bemoaning the fact that you are still a virgin and don't know what sex feels like. So yeah.. not buying

He's only 36 and has to go down stairs like an old man and realizes that he probably has brain damage and it may get worse. He said he regrets not choosing baseball. I'm sure he feels like he would have had great success there as well. You have no idea what he would trade for his health, and the slut analogy is weak.

 

[Ironcitysteelers]

I remember watching an interview with Troy. And the reporter asked him a basic question along the lines of "what was his wallpaper on his phone" Troy was stumped for a moment before he figured out his wallpaper was his kids. My favorite Steeler besides Hines recently. I'm worried about 43

I Donno. Kind of an weird question. **** i had to think about that for me. I switch it so often, what's the newest? But I can imagine he will have problems.

 

[Steelerfreak]

I agree. Society will think different though. I wouldnt be surprised if football gets axed in the future. It will be a sad day

I remember people saying the same thing about boxing.... and boxing is essentially dead. In favor of a much more violent MMA. A sport that actually WAS illegal in a large number of states 25 years ago.

I think the NFL is safe, but wouldn't be surprised with even more modifications.

 

[MTC]

I Donno. Kind of an weird question. **** i had to think about that for me. I switch it so often, what's the newest? But I can imagine he will have problems.

Ha!

Weird question indeed. But just the way Troy came off during that interview throughout was just...hard to explain

 

[MTC]

I remember people saying the same thing about boxing.... and bocing is essentially dead. In favor of a much nire violent MMA. A sport that actually WAS illegal in a large number of states 25 years ago.

I think the NFL is safe, but wouldnt be surprised with even more modifications.

True



Hopefully

 

[Stryker]

I'd be worried about Troy, Clark, Ward, Potsie, Kirkland, and Harrison. Shorter players bang heads. Especially on D. Ward gave as much as he took. Troy and Clark were both taken out of multiple games with concussions. I hope they're alright, but the odds are not good.

Sure you can say things like "he knows the risk" or "he enjoyed the fruits of his labor". Sure he did, but when it ACTUALLY happens to you, it does make you think. If I knew I would be this way going forward, would I have made the same decisions? This really doesn't change anything in El's life, but this is part of the ever growing dialogue that football is bad for your health.

I was lucky, I was barely good enough to earn playing time in High School. I didn't hit my stride until college. I still remember the biggest KOs of my life were in games. One on a kick return, one on a tackle (taking down someone 50lbs heavier). The KR was the best. I come to the sidelines after the KR. Coach says, you're going in, we're starting out with 3WRs. I said Coach, I can't see through my right eye. He said, tell me when you can. I only missed 2 plays...

 

[MTC]

The modifications are changing the game to a degree as well though. I'm all for player safety. But I'm also a believer in a grown man making that decision to make a lot of money knowing the consequences down the road.

The lawsuits are what is killing the NFL

 

[Steelerfreak]

I feel bad now making a joking reference to him in a post last week about our back up QB and PR for last weeks game. I had no idea. However, occupational hazzard. Every soldier and cop can be killed instantly on the job with a fraction of the salary.

 

[Troglodyte]

I'm skeptical, there are many retired NFL players who are seemingly fine at much more advanced ages than Randel-El. Is it football, or something else?

 

[POP]

A lot of it is genetics. You have people like Bettis, Jim Brown, etc. who seemingly played smash mouth ball for years and don't seem worse for wear. Then you got Earl Campbell who is a cripple.

Another thing that will help is much less hitting in practice. They say Webster was probably more damaged from all the reps in practice than he was in games.

 

[skialta]

I get what he's saying, but let's be real. You were a fourteenth round pick. Odds are high that he wouldn't have even made it past winter ball

 

[jitter77]

I remember people saying the same thing about boxing.... and boxing is essentially dead. In favor of a much more violent MMA. A sport that actually WAS illegal in a large number of states 25 years ago.

I think the NFL is safe, but wouldn't be surprised with even more modifications.

I think this is a misconception. In boxing there are many many repeated blows to the head through 10-12 rounds. Most MMA fights are only 3 rounds with the champ / main events being 5 rounds. There are much less strikes to the head in an MMA fight. Some rounds 95% of them are spent wrestling on the ground. You can also be taken down and submitted without being hit one time.

As for football if it is banned so be it, but by now anyone who plays know the risks. It is very sad for Randle-El, but how many would turn down millions even if they know it would gimp them later in life especially if they knew they would have to work close to a minimum wage job for 40 years. I dont think the answer would be too many.

 

[swal75]

I get what he's saying, but let's be real. You were a fourteenth round pick. Odds are high that he wouldn't have even made it past winter ball

I'm sure that his draft position was lower in large part because he had committed to play football at Indiana. The MLB draft isn't purely based on talent or skill.

 

[ExUSAF]

I remember watching an interview with Troy. And the reporter asked him a basic question along the lines of "what was his wallpaper on his phone" Troy was stumped for a moment before he figured out his wallpaper was his kids. My favorite Steeler besides Hines recently. I'm worried about 43

Sorry, I would have asked "Why would I wallpaper my phone?"