"If you wait till you have symptoms, it's too late"

(AP) – Wary of head trauma, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland is leaving football. And not even the promise of NFL stardom and piles of money could change his mind.

So now, after one stellar rookie season, he is retiring at age 24.

The 49ers announced his decision Monday night, without offering specifics. But Borland told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” earlier in the day he wants to do “what’s best for my health.”

Borland had a team-leading 108 tackles as a rookie, emerging as a punishing defender. He also had a sack and two interceptions.

“From what I’ve researched and what I’ve experienced, I don’t think it’s worth the risk,” Borland said in the interview. “I feel largely the same, as sharp as I’ve ever been. For me, it’s wanting to be proactive. I’m concerned that if you wait till you have symptoms, it’s too late.”
Read more here.
Thanks to Ace of Spades

Brutality and ferocity

As we get ready to watch Superbowl XLVIII in just a little more than one hour, perhaps we should mention that Craig Morton, who wore number 7 before John Elway came to town, has joined in a lawsuit against the NFL.

The complaint alleges that defendant NFL and its promotional arm, NFL Films, glorify the brutality and ferocity of NFL football, propagating the myth that receiving big hits is a badge of courage without serious health impacts. The complaint details a number of NFL Films productions which prominently feature big hits and include players dismissing the risks of concussions.

Jess Place writes,

Morton quarterbacked the Broncos to their first Super Bowl during the 1977 season. During the playoffs, he struggled with injuries and was secretly hospitalized in the days leading up to the AFC Championship game. What most fans don't know is that Morton didn't finish Super Bowl XII at quarterback, Norris Weese did. In the third quarter of that game, Morton was sacked for a 9-yard loss. Two plays later, he was pulled. Granted, Morton had been largely ineffective most of the game and had a bum hip, but it begs the question... Did Morton get concussed in the Super Bowl? Weese was sent out onto the field mid-series after an incomplete pass to RB Rob Lytle. Makes one wonder if it was more injury related than Coach Red Miller let on at the time.

Morton joins 287 other Broncos in their pursuit of compensatory and punitive damages for injuries suffered, as well as ongoing medical monitoring to protect him in the event of future medical issues. Notable broncos with pending concussion lawsuits are Ring-of-Famers, Rich Jackson, Floyd Little, Dennis Smith, Randy Gradishar, Karl Mecklenburg, and Tom Nalen.

USA Today reports that

The 84-page lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in northern California, claims the league had access to medical research on the impact of concussive and sub-concussive hits but "produced industry-funded, biased, and falsified research" that said otherwise.

That reminds me of when the heads of the four largest tobacco companies testified before Congress, saying that they weren't sure if nicotine was addictive.

In August, the NFL agreed to a $765 million settlement deal with thousands of former players who had sued the league on similar grounds.

Morton was the first quarterback to start in the Superbowl for two different teams. Another guy to do that is named Peyton Manning.