NFL Player Retires at Age 24 After Suffering 6th Concussion in Just 2 Seasons
Joshua Perry, who was a potential rising star for the Seahawks as Seattle rebuilds its defense, decided that six concussions was more than enough and called it quits Monday, ending his NFL career after just two seasons.
The linebacker noted that it wasn’t a high-speed play that knocked him out, either.
When a player sustains a slobber knocker of a hit and gets knocked out cold, even the most meathead fans tend to take notice and say, “I hope he’s OK.”
But more and more research suggests it’s the accumulation of subconcussive hits and milder concussions that do the bulk of the brain damage that has led players down roads at the end of which are the likes of Junior Seau and Dave Duerson.
Perry took to Twitter on Monday to explain his decision.
A note regarding my RETIREMENT: pic.twitter.com/dUk3MFYYZt
— Joshua Perry (@RIP_JEP) July 30, 2018
“Football has been one of the biggest blessings in my life, but recent concerns about concussions and the health of my brain have led me to step away from the game,” Perry said. “I’ve recently sustained my 6th documented concussion.
“It wasn’t from a high velocity, big contact play. It was a very pedestrian thing, and that was a huge concern to me. The last thing I want to do is put the health of my brain and my future well-being in jeopardy over a game and a paycheck.”
Especially when the paycheck is $630,000 a year, not the tens of millions that the league’s top stars earn.
According to Spotrac, Perry has earned about $1.2 million in cash playing football for the San Diego Chargers, the Indianapolis Colts and Seahawks, which, with a little help from his college degree and the power of compound interest, should make him reasonably comfortable in his post-football life.
Regarding concussions and their effect on his planned post-football existence, Perry said, “You worry a little bit. I think the hardest thing is there’s so much gray area in the research, but at the same time you understand the risk when you go out there.”
The NFL, while no doubt not thrilled that a player would choose to walk away from the game over a health issue that has been so damaging to the league’s PR and has been cited as a reason for a decline in youth football participation, nonetheless wished Perry well.
“We respect any player’s decision on when to retire. It’s a personal decision and every player goes through his own process,” a league representative said.
Perry’s plans include his planned fallback career in real estate, spending time with his younger brother who has Asperger’s syndrome, and devoting some effort to ensuring the success of a charitable foundation he set up to help children and youth groups.
Perry had no bitterness against the NFL itself and took care to point out that the league was good about trying to protect him to the best of its ability when he suffered his series of head traumas.
“I think that we do a great job in terms of the (concussion) protocol that the NFL has,” Perry said about the league’s efforts.
“Coaches aren’t pressuring players to get back. I think players feel their own type of pressure to be there for their teammates. As retired players, there’s also a lot of benefits and resources for your health as well. I think we’re getting better and better.”
And in the grand scheme of things, a college national championship at Ohio State, two years in the sport’s brightest spotlight and a shade over a million bucks is a pretty decent haul for a youth spent keeping people out of the end zone.
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