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SF linebacker, 24, quits after one season; fears head trauma (CTE)
Chris Borland, a third-round pick for the 49ers last year, has retired from the NFL after one season because of concerns about the “long-term effects of repetitive head trauma,” he told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.”
Borland, who said he won’t change his mind, said he’s not suffering from any concussion-related symptoms. He has had just two diagnosed concussions, the last one as a sophomore in high school. However, he wants to be "proactive" and made his decision to leave the game after consulting with a group that included family members and concussion researchers.
He studied the issue and invoked former NFL players Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling in explaining his decision. Duerson and Easterling were diagnosed with a brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, after they committed suicide. More than 70 players have been diagnosed with severe brain trauma after their deaths.
“I’m concerned that if you wait till you have symptoms, it’s too late,” he told ESPN. “...There are a lot of unknowns. I can’t claim that X will happen. I just want to live a long, healthy life, and I don’t want to have any neurological diseases or die younger than I would otherwise.”
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Borland-shocks-49ers-retires-at-24-citing-risk-6138129.php
He studied the issue and invoked former NFL players Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling in explaining his decision. Duerson and Easterling were diagnosed with a brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, after they committed suicide. More than 70 players have been diagnosed with severe brain trauma after their deaths.
“I’m concerned that if you wait till you have symptoms, it’s too late,” he told ESPN. “...There are a lot of unknowns. I can’t claim that X will happen. I just want to live a long, healthy life, and I don’t want to have any neurological diseases or die younger than I would otherwise.”
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Borland-shocks-49ers-retires-at-24-citing-risk-6138129.php
Borland was expected to replace linebacker Patrick Willis, 30, who just retired over a persistent foot injury.
On Feb. 1, Borland retweeted data from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson: "Just an FYI:," deGrasse Tyson wrote, "A 250 lb football player, running 15 mph, has more kinetic energy than a bullet fired from an AK-47 rifle."
Challenging times for the 49ers.
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