With so many guys making the conscious choice to walk away from the game of football, the violence and lasting affects of the game are once again open for discussion.
The sudden retirement Monday night of 49ers star linebacker Chris Borland sent shockwaves through the NFL. Borland — only a 24-year-old rookie — decided his degree and health were important than playing football.
Former South Carolina star and NFL wide receiver, Sidney Rice, sat down with CBS to detail why he walked away from the NFL after one final concussion.
Months after the Seattle Seahawks won the 2014 Super Bowl Championship, Sidney Rice made a surprise announcement, at the age of 27, that he was walking away from the game after seven years in the NFL.
Rice said he had experienced several concussions and would sometimes black out after particularly bad hits. He then told CBS News that the stories of former NFL players Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker sealed the deal for him.
“You have these guys that have been going to the same house for 25 years. And all of the sudden they get to a certain point on their way home and they have to call their wives to get the directions home. So that is something that really hit home for me after having experienced so many concussions,” said Rice.
Rice acknowledged that by talking about his concerns, he is taking an uncommon step.
“My story is unique because I’m willing to talk about it,” he said. “A lot of the guys don’t talk about it, the don’t speak about it. They go, they play, their done and that’s that. If we continue along that path then what kind of example are we setting for the youth that’s coming along?”