Do you really think back then those players knew what was in store for them once their playing days were over?
yep....I think most players knew that there was potential of a future that included bad knees, stiff necks, or other joint ailments. I don’t think most ever thought about brain issues like Alzheimer’s and dementia. One of my best friends and the guy I played next to on the offensive line in college has dementia now in his 30’s. It’s so bad now that he lives at a special facility where he’s the youngest person there by 25-30 years. There’s no proof that football caused it....but he did have multiple concussions.
Some years ago, some reporter asked ex-all-pro Jim Otto of the Oakland Raiders who was basically a cripple after his playing days were over if it was all worth it. He said yes.
No, I don’t but they were willing to take the chance. Not every player suffered brain damage just as not every boxer became ‘punch drunk’ so it’s easy enough to ignore or play down the obvious dangers.
We can have great sympathy for this poor fellow but what did he think would be the result of getting his body hammered on game after game? He rolled the dice.....an lost. Sorry.
I would think that people don’t throw the term “getting your bell rung” around lightly. Anyone with any common sense should know, deep down, that repeatedly getting hit in the head is going to have an effect—especially since the NFL outlawed head slaps in the ‘70s.