Posted on Thursday, 27th August 2009 by Mario Prache
A 38-year old man sits inside a small High School gym in Wisconsin watching his son and his son’s peers play basketball. It’s a sunny summer day on the outside, but air conditioning keeps the gym cool on the inside. You can hear a slight murmur from the crowd and the dribble of a basketball, but little else. From most accounts, this is a perfectly comfortable Sunday afternoon. But this man isn’t one of those accounts. He fidgets and sweats as if he was being placed in an oven. The man complains of hearing ringing, but no refs are blowing their whistle, no buzzers are going off. The other parents attempt to make small talk with the man, but he quickly feels overwhelmed and is forced to politely excuse himself. He gingerly steps down the wooden bleachers, looking as uncoordinated as someone who just finished a weekend bender. The man pauses at the door before reaching the hallway and watches his son fire up a shot as the first half nears a close.
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.
One who suffers from concussions, especially multiple ones, is more likely to suffer from depression later in life. It shouldn’t be a surprise that a recent study revealed that 87% of former NFL players suffer from depression. The shift in mood swings, poor sleep habits, and general down feelings that depression brings have serious implications on their overall well being.
Take this stat for example. While the average American lives to the age of 76, the average NFL player lives to see just 58. Much of this has to do with conditions like arthritis, depression, and brain injuries suffered from concussions.
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 returns to the gym refreshed and with a pair of sun glasses in time to catch a good chunk of the second half. He watches the rest of the game standing alone, leaned against the side of the bleachers. After the game ends, the man accepts the attention his past profession brings him. Almost every parent and kid from the visiting team stops by where he is standing and meets him before leaving the gym. He is visibly uncomfortable again, but he welcomes everyone with a warm smile and contributes to the dialogue what he can.
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.
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