Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has endured his share of injuries in the NFL, but has recently been expressing concern over one in particular.
Since entering the league in 2004, the quarterback gradually earned the reputation as the toughest thrower in football. His unconventional style has forced him to escape the pocket more than most, and in turn he has suffered the consequences, including injuries to his ankles, knees, shoulders, and most importantly, his head.
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Roethlisberger has openly expressed that the 2017 NFL season may be his last, and according to the Tribune-Review, he is concerned about his long-term mental health. The quarterback was particularly worried after learning that a study conducted by The Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that 110 of 111 former NFL players whose brains were donated for research, contained chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
In an interview with the Tribune-Review, Roethlisberger stated:
The following is an excerpt from the Tribune-Review
“Of course, I want to play catch with my kids. I want to know my kids’ names. As much as I want my kids to remember what I did and watch me play the game, I also want to remember them when I’m 70 years old.
When asked about the study, he then continued with:
“It’s a factor. I think, my wife, it was more of a factor for her. You have to take it into consideration. That’s why I’ve always been forthright and honest about my concussions and being hit in the head. This shows there’s nothing to mess with. If you want to mess with your brain, you can’t put a new one in. You can’t have a brain transplant. If you want to mess with your brain, go ahead. I’m not going to. I love my family and kids.”
Talk about some powerful words.
It will be interesting to see if more and more players take the same stance as Roesthlisberger going forward, which wouldn’t be surprising given the recent findings.
(H/T FTW)
