The Physical Turmoil of an NFL Career

On an otherwise quiet day in Wisconsin, a high school gym is abuzz with a few students practicing their basketball. The gym is mostly quiet save for the regular sounds that take place on a basketball court, but one man hears ringing that no one else seems to here.

1500 of 2500 former NFL players surveyed reported that they suffered at least 1 concussion during their time in the league. On top of that, another 600 players suffered 3 or more concussions in their career. Why is this important? It’s important because concussions play a huge role in severe mental defects such as depression, post-concussion syndrome and chronic traumatic brain injury. All of these defects range from minor problems that can be shaken off in a couple days to something that can end one’s life. In the case of professional athletes, it’s more often the latter than the former.

According to Kevin Guskiewicz, research director of the University of North Carolina’s Center for the Study of Retired Athletes, “Those who recalled one or two concussions were 1 1/2 times more likely to be diagnosed with depression.” A fact supported by the NFL Player’s Association, which found that 87% of retired players suffer from depression. Depression is nothing to scoff at. To set the tone, about 3.5% of people who have depression commit suicide. So lets do the math. If about 1500 people suffer from depression and 3.5% of them commit suicide that means 50 of them will. Those that don’t are medicated, have to endure severe mood swings, an inability to sleep or experience pleasure, loss of sex drive and an overall deterioration of health.

It’s not just mental either. Strength Planet says, “according to the NFL Players Association, the average life expectancy of an NFL player is 58 years of age.” The life expectancy of the average American is 76 years old. 15-20% of former NFL players suffer arthritis so bad that it hampers their ability to perform even the simplest tasks. And it’s not just NFL players. 20% of professional boxers suffer from the aforementioned chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI is amongst the world’s leaders in causing death and disability.

The numbers are overwhelming, and they’re what make contact sport athletes the modern day Gladiators. They sacrifice their health and sometimes life for momentary riches and our entertainment. Most of these athletes aren’t selfish, money-hungry people. Most of them are businessmen trying to make a living. The average NFL career ends at the age of 28. During this time, the athlete has to accumulate as much money possible. Because when these careers are over, most of them are left with weak college degrees and a slew of physical and mental ailments. Their ability for a contact sport athlete to earn a living following their playing career is greatly restricted and for a good number, an outright challenge.

The man on the basketball court decides to walk down from the bleachers, standing court side in sunglasses. Preferring not to be recognized, there’s no way around this and he is often approached by mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. He responds in as friendly a manner as possible, though he’d prefer to just be.

The man is Al Toon, a former standout wide receiver at the University of Wisconsin. Toon enjoyed a successful career in the NFL with the New York Jets, leading the league in receptions once, making 3 Pro Bowls and making an All-Pro first team. If not for constant injuries, he would’ve gone down as one of the better receivers during his time. Instead, he only played 1 full season in the NFL and retired at the prime age of 29. He suffered a double digit amount of concussions during career and has had post-concussion syndrome as a result. He’s just another casualty to the modern day Gladiator games.