Posted on 07/27/2017 8:37:25 PM PDT by Rockitz
Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel has quit the NFL just days after the world's biggest study into a degenerative brain disease showed that it affects 99 per cent of players.
The study, which was announced on Tuesday, found that out 111 NFL players' brains examined by Boston University, 110 showed signs of damage due to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
That news so shook Urschel - who is studying for a mathematics PhD at MIT in the off-season - that he quit on Thursday, a friend told ESPN.
Urschel, who is 26, is studying spectral graph theory, numerical linear algebra and machine learning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He has already published six peer-reviewed mathematics papers and has three more that have yet to be reviewed. He's also an avid - and talented - chess player.
The player has previously complained of having his mathematical skills impaired by concussion, but until now he has maintained that he loves the sport too much to quit.
But on Thursday, just before practice, he turned in his notice without making a statement. He had been expected to compete at training camp for the position of starting center.
A friend told ESPN his decision was linked to the report.
'This morning John Urschel informed me of his decision to retire from football,' coach John Harbaugh said in a statement.
'We respect John and respect his decision. We appreciate his efforts over the past three years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
He’s a phd candidate in mathematics. He’ll have money. Maybe not 7 figures a year for a few years but easily a lifetime of making a very good income.
Yes.
The game would look better live, too - but worse on TV, which is probably the bottom line.
Helmets prevent skull fractures. By permitting increasing collision velocity with every "improvement", they make the CTE problem worse.
Hi tech helmets protect against concussion like anti lock brakes protect against MVAs.
What I’m wondering is how likely it is that the high tech is giving some players an excuse to play unwisely. Just like tech like traction control and ABS is used by some drivers as a license to drive like a loon.
My poor BIL keeps trying to talk pro sports with me even though I have given up on them. I told him I haven't watched a game in years and I don't care what any of the players say or do. I don't care who wins what.
Now one NFL player with a brain wants to keep his brain. He doesn't want to trade it for millions of dollars.
Going back to leather football helmets and unpadded boxing gloves would reduce greatly the number (and seriousness) of concussions and other brain injuries in both sports.
Everything else aside, he sounds like an awesome person.
That was an arcade video game in the early 90s, and when your robot got hit too hard, he smoked a little, and when he got hit further, he blew up!
Indeed.
Kind of like Tebow. Glad he’s having fun playing baseball. Zero concussions!
Wow, we must be the same guy. Computer stuff, Apple, Football and golf cause my eyes to roll up into my head.
I can usually talk about or at least feign interest in any subject, but those just bore me to tears.
Drive around your town and just SEE how many soccer players there are compared to football ones.
ANY kid can (and probably does) play SOCCER!
At least we are creating droves of future soccer FANS...
Grown men getting paid a lot to get sweaty!
Just like the Jetsons!
I don't recall typing anything close to that. Questioning the sampling methodology of a study that comes back with a 99% hit rate is a far, far cry from proposing CTE is a 'rare condition'.
This is why its getting harder and harder to factually discuss anything. If I state CTE is 'rare', you can chastise me...but at least wait until I do it.
Well stop driving or using the stairs in your home then, because the actual, documented risk of brain damage for either of those activities is higher than your threshold.
OK, as I responded to the other person who doesn’t understand statistical bias: the documented causes of brain trauma you will encounter in everyday situations are disqualifying for most activities. And if you drink alcohol, you are destroying irreplaceable parts of your neuroanatomy with every drink. Those things risks are KNOWN. The risk from football remains unknown. Indeed, his quitting now may even be pointless if the entire pathology begins in developmental stages of life.
I’m not influenced by the statistical bias.
It’s simple common sense. You get hit in the head by 250lb bulked up dudes who are actually trying to hurt you over and over and over again for years and there are consequences to that.
If you got alternatives, you don’t subject yourself to that.
More power to him. He’s made his money and now can get on with a career in his field.
It was a huge sacrifice. I think it was the right one, but he’ll never make seven figures now.
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