papazoid Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte, who has suffered two concussions this season, says playing in the NFL is worth the risk he takes to his long-term health by doing so. "As far as after football, who knows. My life will revolve around football to some point, but I'd rather have the experience of playing and, who knows, die 10, 15 years earlier than not be able to play in the NFL and live a long life. http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/12040968/chris-conte-chicago-bears-says-playing-nfl-worth-long-term-health-risk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolishDave Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte, who has suffered two concussions this season, says playing in the NFL is worth the risk he takes to his long-term health by doing so. "As far as after football, who knows. My life will revolve around football to some point, but I'd rather have the experience of playing and, who knows, die 10, 15 years earlier than not be able to play in the NFL and live a long life. http://espn.go.com/c...erm-health-risk Bet he changes his mind in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Sounds like his concussions (this years and all the others) have already affected his brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Bet he changes his mind in a few years. That's the beauty of it; he won't be able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 The most surprising thing about him saying that was he did it mostly while eating scrambled eggs through a straw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juice_32 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I totally respect this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolishDave Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 That's the beauty of it; he won't be able to. Lol....that is both funny and sad at the same time....nice one.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 7/30/11 - Christopher Conte signed a 4 year / $2.60 million contract with the Chicago Bears, including a $533,600 signing bonus, $533,600 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $650,900. UFA in 2015 http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/chicago-bears/christopher-conte/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBillsWillRiseAgain Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I doubt he's the only person in the world that would be willing to shorten their lives by 10-15 years for millions of dollars in the prime of their life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 i can honestly say if presented the following scenarios at a young age, i would choose the nfl career. live to 75 and earn $10 mil or more during a short 4-10 year NFL career plus whatever per year in life after football or live to 85 and earn $100,000/yr (maybe alot less for some) for 30 years = $3 mil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolishDave Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 i can honestly say if presented the following scenarios at a young age, i would choose the nfl career. live to 75 and earn $10 mil or more during a short 4-10 year NFL career plus whatever per year in life after football or live to 85 and earn $100,000/yr (maybe alot less for some) for 30 years = $3 mil What if it is live to 55 or 60 instead of 85? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAF43 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 this is the line that sends chills down my spine : "So I don't really look toward my life after football because I'll figure things out when I get there and see how I am." To me, that's beyond troubling. I understand wanting to follow your dreams, but that comment in a nutshell is what worries me about players after they retire. To have no clue what to do with your life after a career that averages roughly 6 years or so is a scary thought, and either shows the opinion of just one man or a fail across the systems in place to teach these young kids about life after football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 this is the line that sends chills down my spine : "So I don't really look toward my life after football because I'll figure things out when I get there and see how I am." To me, that's beyond troubling. I understand wanting to follow your dreams, but that comment in a nutshell is what worries me about players after they retire. To have no clue what to do with your life after a career that averages roughly 6 years or so is a scary thought, and either shows the opinion of just one man or a fail across the systems in place to teach these young kids about life after football. They're grown men, adults. Fail across the system? What system do we have in place for the other 30 year olds in the real world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBillsWillRiseAgain Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 What if it is live to 55 or 60 instead of 85? I'd probably still do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAF43 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 They're grown men, adults. Fail across the system? What system do we have in place for the other 30 year olds in the real world? The other 30 year olds for the most part aren't working in a situation as unique as the NFL. I'm talking about the systems the NFL has to prepare it's players for life after the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 What if it is live to 55 or 60 instead of 85? we all run that risk anyways..... but it changes for everyone. a very personal decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy10 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 this is the line that sends chills down my spine : "So I don't really look toward my life after football because I'll figure things out when I get there and see how I am." To me, that's beyond troubling. I understand wanting to follow your dreams, but that comment in a nutshell is what worries me about players after they retire. To have no clue what to do with your life after a career that averages roughly 6 years or so is a scary thought, and either shows the opinion of just one man or a fail across the systems in place to teach these young kids about life after football. [shrugs] He's young, dumb and full of c**. I was the same way in my 20s, and I was most definitely NOT a prospect for making millions of dollars doing anything. Well, I was trying to be a rock star, but that obviously didn't work out. Then at some point I realized things like health insurance and settling down would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevewin Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Sounds like his concussions (this years and all the others and and Fred Jackson's stiff arm) have already affected his brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I totally respect this. Yes. Agreed. He is an adult and able to make decisions. Whether he is right or wrong is not our decision. If he regrets it that will be his folly. But this man is doing what he loves and loving what he is doing. Let him be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkAF43 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 [shrugs] He's young, dumb and full of c**. I was the same way in my 20s, and I was most definitely NOT a prospect for making millions of dollars doing anything. Well, I was trying to be a rock star, but that obviously didn't work out. Then at some point I realized things like health insurance and settling down would be nice. And I completely get that, maybe it's just me maturing more in my thinking (that's a scary thought though), but if he's living with that mindset now, does he truly end up changing his ways, or do we read about him blowing his head off because no one cares about him now that he's out of football? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 There are a lot of people that take that risk for a lot less money in jobs they hate. It's always a tough balance for me as a fan of the game - safety vs entertainment. It sounds awful in his quote but it's hard to truly argue with too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) I doubt he's the only person in the world that would be willing to shorten their lives by 10-15 years for millions of dollars in the prime of their life. Add there is no certainty of earlier death and no certainty one would have not died early for some other reason. Risk reward decision would give anyone pause. I'd also be interested what the average lifespan of college football players who then went on to normal lives . Is it the sports fault or the segment of populous who are in the NFL are higher risk for shortened life due to the same genetic traits which makes them athletic outliers....(ie... High testosterone, aggressive, passive lifestyle post sports, high Bmi, and other genetic traits that make them abnormally super athletic.) Edited December 17, 2014 by over 20 years of fanhood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Add there is no certainty of earlier death and no certainty one would have died early for some other reason. Geez that's some rationalization But it is also not just a length of life, but a quality of life question. You could still live to 85, but be a drooling idiot for the last 30 years. Again, none of that is guaranteed to happen, but the likelihood increases if tackle football is your profession is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmur66 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) Average life expectancy for an NFL player is 55. I am guessing Conte doesn't have any children yet. Edited December 17, 2014 by bmur66 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Geez that's some rationalization But it is also not just a length of life, but a quality of life question. You could still live to 85, but be a drooling idiot for the last 30 years. Again, none of that is guaranteed to happen, but the likelihood increases if tackle football is your profession is all. I'm with you. It's not a decision I was ever in a position to make so it's a big guess on my part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Related to the topic: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/do-concussions-lead-to-suicide/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogblitz Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I would imagine there are many NFL players who think this, but he is actually saying it. Give him credit for being honest. Maybe he should visit Daryl Talley or Earl Campbell. Problem is you don't just drop dead at 55, you suffer a lot first. But then again, Roger Staubach had several concussions and then went to have a very successful business career and still seems to be doing well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prickly Pete Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) A lot depends on what your alternatives are. For instance, if you are a white guy growing up in Hamburg, getting a nice education, some nice travel experiences, reasonably successful with women, etc. Well then, the trade off isn't so good. If you are a black kid growing up in some crappy Florida ghetto, where life expectancy is pretty low, with a single mom and a few siblings that could really benefit from your exceptional athletic ability, and without many other options besides joining the army, etc. then the tradeoff looks a lot different. I would imagine there are many NFL players who think this, but he is actually saying it. Give him credit for being honest. Maybe he should visit Daryl Talley or Earl Campbell. Problem is you don't just drop dead at 55, you suffer a lot first. But then again, Roger Staubach had several concussions and then went to have a very successful business career and still seems to be doing well. This is crucial. I have many friends who abuse their bodies for the party. They all say, "hey, when my time comes, it comes. I doubt I'll make 50". They never consider that it's unlikely that they will just suddenly drop dead, but is more likely a slow painful process, AND death before 50. Edited December 17, 2014 by HoF Watkins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBillsWillRiseAgain Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 There are a lot of people that take that risk for a lot less money in jobs they hate. That's a good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8-8 Forever? Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Bet he changes his mind in a few years. He won't have one to change in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 People join the military, become cops or firefighter, work with asbestos or in a steel mill for much less money and comparable (or greater) danger. The fact he makes an absurd amount of money playing a game, I dont blame him at all for saying that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBillsWillRiseAgain Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Medical science is advancing so rapidly that this might be a moot point soon anyway. What they're doing with stem cells will likely make degenerative brain conditions a thing of the past in the not-so-distant future. Too many hits to the head? No problem. They'll be able to fix you right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 People join the military, become cops or firefighter, work with asbestos or in a steel mill for much less money and comparable (or greater) danger. The fact he makes an absurd amount of money playing a game, I dont blame him at all for saying that bingo. id hope he ways his future when making that decision, but we dont know what his alternative options would have been without football. hes made a choice, and hes not lying to himself about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It is obvious that every single current NFL player has come to the exact same conclusion that Conte has, or they wouldn't be playing right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Conte's logic is a bit chilling, but understandable...at least in the context of a young man with the superpowers to pley pro football. I'm also willing to bet the future for this generation of players is a whole lot brighter than for the guys who played in the 70s-90s...there will still be plenty of problems, but prevention and treatment will get better, and that will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Hey, Chris Conte, you stupid !@#$. Dave Duerson. He played your position. For your !@#$ing team. And he was much more beloved than you. Get some !@#$ing perspective, punk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beef Jerky Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Hell if I got to do this also I wouldn't care about the long term health effects. You get one life, live it to the fullest b.c once you get old most of it will be doctors, bowel movements, and TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte, who has suffered two concussions this season, says playing in the NFL is worth the risk he takes to his long-term health by doing so. "As far as after football, who knows. My life will revolve around football to some point, but I'd rather have the experience of playing and, who knows, die 10, 15 years earlier than not be able to play in the NFL and live a long life. http://espn.go.com/c...erm-health-risk For someone like Troy Polamalu, or Ed Reed...yeah, maybe. But when you're stiff-armed twice in the same run by Fred Jackson, you've got ask yourself if it's really worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BADOLBILZ Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte, who has suffered two concussions this season, says playing in the NFL is worth the risk he takes to his long-term health by doing so. "As far as after football, who knows. My life will revolve around football to some point, but I'd rather have the experience of playing and, who knows, die 10, 15 years earlier than not be able to play in the NFL and live a long life. http://espn.go.com/c...erm-health-risk People make life shortening decisions in all walks of life to live better in the moment. People below the poverty line ESPECIALLY. This is not really much different. Retired NFL players don't live shorter lives than the average man so Conte is being a bit presumptuous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 People make life shortening decisions in all walks of life to live better in the moment. People below the poverty line ESPECIALLY. This is not really much different. Retired NFL players don't live shorter lives than the average man so Conte is being a bit presumptuous. They actually do live shorter lives, on average Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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