Former GB and super bowl champion CB Sam Shields now says he regrets NFL career

[Big Turk]

He looks terrible to be honest...like one of the drug addicts you'd see on the corner in a bad neighborhood. Looks like he's 50 and he is only 34.

 

Said his head feels like mush and concussions had a lot to do with it, and that he would not do it all over again if he had the chance...

 

Wonder how many players playing now are going to be in the same boat? This can't be good for the NFL and it's long term participation rates.

 

More content parents are going to read and add to the reasons why little Jimmy will be playing soccer instead of football.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/11/03/former-packers-db-sam-shields-says-he-regrets-nfl-career

Edited November 3, 2022 by Big Turk

[iccrewman112]

I can’t find the stat, but high school football participation has been down year over year for many years running now.

[iccrewman112]

here are some participation stats from 18-19 school year. Pre-COvID.
 

But the NFHS numbers on boys in 11-player tackle football show some trends that football’s supporters shouldn’t ignore:

 

Participation is at its lowest level since 1999-2000 (1,002,734).

 

At this rate, participation could fall below 1 million next year. 1998-99 (983,625) was the last year that happened.

 

About 22% of boys in high school sports participation in 11-player tackle football. In the 1998-2000 period I reference in the first two items, that participation rate was more than 26% — meaning where once one in four boys played, now we’re moving toward one in five.

 

The average number of boys per school in 11-player football in 2018-19 was 70.6. At the sport’s participation peak in 2008-09, that average was 79. (That includes all levels — varsity, junior varsity and freshman.)

Edited November 3, 2022 by iccrewman112

[streetkings01]

5 minutes ago, iccrewman112 said:

I can’t find the stat, but high school football participation has been down year over year for many years running now.

Probably goes even further than. Our local team couldn’t field a mighty mite(6-7 years old) or a D2(12-14 years old) program because not enough kids or parents are interested. I coach travel flag football…….it’s neck and neck with tackle right now.

[iccrewman112]

Just now, streetkings01 said:

Probably goes even further than. Our local team couldn’t field a mighty mite(6-7 years old) or a D2(12-14 years old) program because not enough kids or parents are interested. I coach travel flag football…….it’s neck and neck with tackle right now.

yep. There’s a reason those NBA teams are selling for outrageous amounts of money. Basketball is playing the long game.

[US Egg]

American 🏈, unlike 🏀⚾️🏒will recede in the talent pool.

 

Maybe not in my lifetime, but 20 years from now, definitely.

[Big Turk]

3 minutes ago, streetkings01 said:

Probably goes even further than. Our local team couldn’t field a mighty mite(6-7 years old) or a D2(12-14 years old) program because not enough kids or parents are interested. I coach travel flag football…….it’s neck and neck with tackle right now.

 

Hmm...maybe that is a compromise?  Flag football until High school?

[TheBrownBear]

It's a crappy phone video taken in his car.  A bit of an exaggeration to say he looks like a 50 year old meth head.  Also, we don't know his entire story (does he have other negative things going on in his life/health, irrespective of the concussion issue?).  Only what he's willing to tell us. 

 

I do agree though with the basic premise.  Football is a brutal sport that has a very high risk of taking a serious toll on the body and mind.  As for those who pooh-pooh this stuff and say "these guys are grown men who understand the risk they're taking", keep in mind that these young men are shepherded into the sport from a young age by parents and family, and then once they show promise, are strongly encouraged to continue by family/schools/coaches/agents/friends who are hoping to profit off of them.  They are essentially trained from a young age to have zero life/career outside of football.  Then throw in the fact that these guys are really young and not mentally mature enough to make wise decisions when it comes to their longterm health when the health risks really ramp up (college and draft), and you have a recipe for future disaster and regret.

[Don Otreply]

Well, if one looks at American football objectively, one quickly realizes this is a modern day gladiator sport, players purposefully hit each other hard enough to injure each other on every play,  a high percentage of players have life long health issues due to playing the game, the money made does little if one can not enjoy its fruit. It is a brutal game, and the fans revel in the big hits, and care little how much damage is done to the players, at most it’s a thoughts and prayers deal, in other words, oh well….  It’s no wonder a player would have such thoughts in hind sight. 

[US Egg]

1 minute ago, Don Otreply said:

Well, if one looks at American football objectively, one quickly realizes this is a modern day gladiator sport, players purposefully hit each other hard enough to injure each other on every play

Enjoy it while it lasts.

[Beast]

High school players have been getting killed every year for decades.

 

Pro, college and high school players paralyzed as well.

 

Terrible injuries. Legs snapped in half. 
 

People have been wondering about the future of the sport for as long back as I can remember.

 

Yet, here we are.

 

Football is king.

 

 

[Beck Water]

Sam Shields Players Tribune article

 

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/sam-shields-rams

 

In that article (during a year when he was out of football and it was unclear he'd come back) he describes his mama as coming instantly to his side, with a middle-of-the-night phone call.

 

Quote

Now it was 3 a.m., and I was curled up in a ball, sobbing uncontrollably.

I needed help. I needed medicine. I needed God.

I needed my mama.

It’s funny. It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you get. Even when you’re a grown-ass man and you got money and you got your own kids and ***** …

Sometimes, you just need your mama.

She lived right down the street, so I called her up, and I remember just moaning into the phone.

“Ohhh, ***** … make it stop … ahhhh, please help me … please come, Mama!”

“I’m on my way, baby.”

That’s all she said.

 

Normally when a guy goes from having family who will throw on their clothes and rush to his side in the middle of the night, to writing about:

Quote

“When you’re done with football, everybody forgets about you,” Shields said, per Audacy’s Jesse Pantuosco. “Family, friends. I got one friend. In football, I had 10. Now I got one where I know that that’s my friend. That I could really say, ‘You’re my friend.’ I don’t even talk to most of my family members. Once football was over, everybody was over with me.”

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say, maybe having football be over is not the reason they're over with him.  That's not to say that post-concussion behavior changes weren't at the root of it, but sometimes they also drive behavior that drives people away - outbursts of anger, addictions, etc - and one wonders if he's gotten help the 2nd time as he described he did the first.

 

Frankly, after months like he describes in his Players Tribune article and extensive brain training to "get normal", he really shouldn't have come back in 2018.  "Know When to Say When".

Edited November 3, 2022 by Beck Water

[Buftex]

1 minute ago, Beast said:

High school players have been getting killed every year for decades.

 

Pro, college and high school players paralyzed as well.

 

Terrible injuries. Legs snapped in half. 
 

People have been wondering about the future of the sport for as long back as I can remember.

 

Yet, here we are.

 

Football is king.

 

 

You are right...football is king.  But the stats posted in this thread show, it likely won't be forever.  The game may not be any more dangerous now, but it is clear, that fewer people are participating in it. 

[MiltonWaddams]

The impact that concussions have on people cannot be understated or understood by people who haven't experienced them. I understand what he means when he says his brain felt "mushed together" and that he was whipping his body back and forth trying to shake the pain out. I have had 5 documented concussions and have had that same experience. I have long understood why Junior Seau took his own life because living with that on a daily basis would not be possible. I haven't had symptoms for a decade, but I do fear that returning later in my life.

[Malazan]

An extremely high percentage of players would do it all over again if you offered them the chance today even knowing what they know. Money is a powerful drug. 

 

Yes, youth football is declining, but I think the health issues are just one part of the puzzle. Twenty years ago the terms 'esports' wasn't a real thing. There's many other draws on a young person's attention now and the social status aspect of Football is no longer what it once was.. 

 

I believe there are other things that will 'kill' football before the concern over post-career health does..

Edited November 3, 2022 by Malazan

[Buftex]

13 minutes ago, iccrewman112 said:

yep. There’s a reason those NBA teams are selling for outrageous amounts of money. Basketball is playing the long game.

Correct. While it isn't very popular with most NFL internet message board fans, the NBA is as popular is more popular than ever, with the demographic that would traditionally participate in NFL football.  

[Beast]

2 minutes ago, Buftex said:

You are right...football is king.  But the stats posted in this thread show, it likely won't be forever.  The game may not be any more dangerous now, but it is clear, that fewer people are participating in it. 

It will be. For a long, long time.

 

 

[Buftex]

Just now, Beast said:

It will be. For a long, long time.

 

 

Believe me, I love the NFL as much as anyone...but don't you think the fewer people willing to participate in the sport will erode its' popularity over time? We already claim that the sport is "wussified" compared to the sport most of us grew up with. I already see the lack of interest in the game amongst the younger kids in my own family.  I have a large family. We've always been football fanatics.  But the younger kids seem to have little interest in it.  One of my nephews (he's 12), who I have been plying with Bills gear for about 10 years, broke my heart recently, when he chose to go to a pro soccer game, over a chance to go to a Bills game. He also seems to prefer hockey to football... while I loved all sports growing up, by the time I was 12, football was it!  His friends seem all the same.  Their only appreciation for football seems linked to their parents. 

[SirAndrew]

21 minutes ago, Beast said:

High school players have been getting killed every year for decades.

 

Pro, college and high school players paralyzed as well.

 

Terrible injuries. Legs snapped in half. 
 

People have been wondering about the future of the sport for as long back as I can remember.

 

Yet, here we are.

 

Football is king.

 

 

It isn’t going to scare away anyone in Texas or Florida, and that’s where the talent is at this point anyway. Declining participation in northeast suburbs isn’t going to hurt the game. 

[WyoAZBillfan]

For the love of a game. I feel for those fellas, but if I had the ability and the skills. I’d be playing a game and the amount of money they are paid is a bonus. Most careers have their dangers and pitfalls, those guys got an opportunity to do something they loved. 
understandable the quality of life after isn’t the best, just the risks taken I suppose. 

[MJS]

30 minutes ago, SirAndrew said:

It isn’t going to scare away anyone in Texas or Florida, and that’s where the talent is at this point anyway. Declining participation in northeast suburbs isn’t going to hurt the game. 

This. There are places in this country where football at all levels is revered and will continue to be until the end of time. In the South Football is like a religion.

[TheBrownBear]

36 minutes ago, MJS said:

This. There are places in this country where football at all levels is revered and will continue to be until the end of time. In the South Football is like a religion.

California is a huge recruiting hotbed as well.  I could easily see youth contact sports being banned here at some time in the not too distant future.  Tackle football, like so many things these days, is likely to become a red state/blue state issue.

[GunnerBill]

My dad was a pro soccer player in the UK for a few years and then played at the top level of semi-pro for another half decade after that. He was a central defender who headed thousands of balls and probably hundred of opponents' heads in the process. He was diagnosed with early onset dementia at 59. He told me then that if you took him back and told him that was a risk at 16 he would not have done anything any different. They, to him, were the best years of his life. Now for everyone like my dad there is a Sam Shields who regrets it. 

 

The question is how long are people going to continue to take the risk? I think the answer is for a while yet.

[Not at the table Karlos]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

He looks terrible to be honest...like one of the drug addicts you'd see on the corner in a bad neighborhood. Looks like he's 50 and he is only 34.

 

Said his head feels like mush and concussions had a lot to do with it, and that he would not do it all over again if he had the chance...

 

Wonder how many players playing now are going to be in the same boat? This can't be good for the NFL and it's long term participation rates.

 

More content parents are going to read and add to the reasons why little Jimmy will be playing soccer instead of football.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/11/03/former-packers-db-sam-shields-says-he-regrets-nfl-career

Odd thing to say. He looks like he always has and aged like a normal 34 year old. 

[Mr. WEO]

2 hours ago, iccrewman112 said:

yep. There’s a reason those NBA teams are selling for outrageous amounts of money. Basketball is playing the long game.

 

 

What does the price of a US pro sports team have to with chronic post football health issues?  

 

Billionaires lust to own  a major sports team because it's a very lucrative (well, NFL/NBA for sure), extremely exclusive, high profile, extremely enjoyable way to invest your money--paying huge dividends and offering massive ROI.

 

It really doesn't matter how many kids are playing Pop Warner---nearly all of them are not future NFL talent.  Those who are will always continue playing through HS, desperate to get a scholarship.  Of those, the best will be in the NFL.  

 

We've been hearing for quite some time that CTE, etc would be the death knell for the NFL.  All evidence points to this not being the case.  Anecdotal tough luck stories of outliers does not change this.

[streetkings01]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Hmm...maybe that is a compromise?  Flag football until High school?

Flag football is becoming huge. It’s gonna be a girls varsity sport across the country soon…..it already is in parts of NY. I coach a 14u team……all my kids on the team play tackle including my 2 sons, but they all love flag due to the competition and competing in tournaments up and down the east coast!

[HOUSE]

My uncle was a coal miner in Pennsylvania and he suffered with black lung for 30 years. 

So I asked him why did you choose a career that was so dangerous?

He said,  FOR THE MONEY

Moral of the story,  you make the choices, know the risks 

[Eastport bills]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

He looks terrible to be honest...like one of the drug addicts you'd see on the corner in a bad neighborhood. Looks like he's 50 and he is only 34.

 

Said his head feels like mush and concussions had a lot to do with it, and that he would not do it all over again if he had the chance...

 

Wonder how many players playing now are going to be in the same boat? This can't be good for the NFL and it's long term participation rates.

 

More content parents are going to read and add to the reasons why little Jimmy will be playing soccer instead of football.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/11/03/former-packers-db-sam-shields-says-he-regrets-nfl-career

Terrible turn of events for Shields. Parents and young athletes have to weigh the risk/reward of an NFL career. Remember that if you can escape unscathed the 4 year average career, chances are the rewards will set your family up for a decade. This is not a no brainer for a superior athlete.The idea of playing pro football is a dream for many young athletes. Achieving that goal is life changing.

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Shields kept playing thru some pretty bad concussions.    It was sad to watch.   Couldn't believe he tried to play again after the last one but it's hard to quit.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

1 hour ago, SirAndrew said:

It isn’t going to scare away anyone in Texas or Florida, and that’s where the talent is at this point anyway. Declining participation in northeast suburbs isn’t going to hurt the game. 

 

1 hour ago, MJS said:

This. There are places in this country where football at all levels is revered and will continue to be until the end of time. In the South Football is like a religion.

 

That's part of the problem... most of the South has a lesser respect for actual human life and it shows.

Edited November 3, 2022 by EasternOHBillsFan

[Chaos]

18 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

 

That's part of the problem... most of the South has a lesser respect for actual human life and it shows.

What is the source of your expertise? 

[msw2112]

I am very conflicted about this.  I played high school football and loved it.  I enjoyed the physical nature of the sport, and the spectacle of game day.  I have never been an active drug user, but I can't imagine any drug that would give me a bigger high than the one I got when I sacked the quarterback in a big game.  Football also did wonders for my fitness, discipline, and overall well being (although I could have arguably gotten those same benefits from any other competitive sport that I played 6 days per week).  I probably got my "bell rung" a few times, but didn't sustain any serious or long term physical or mental injuries.  I look back fondly upon it.  I might have been interested in playing in college, but I really wanted to go to a Big 10 school and I didn't have the talent to play at that level, so high school was it.

 

As an adult, many years beyond high school and college, I love the sport as a fan, both college and NFL.  Watching football and attending games is one of my absolute favorite things to do.  I'm even on a football-related message board every day and it's my favorite website (and I'm sure you can relate).
 

Despite all of this, I don't have a son, but if I did, I don't know if I would let him play.

[Beck Water]

56 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

 

That's part of the problem... most of the South has a lesser respect for actual human life and it shows.

 

Well this escalated quickly?

[Motor26]

3 hours ago, iccrewman112 said:

yep. There’s a reason those NBA teams are selling for outrageous amounts of money. Basketball is playing the long game.

 

Basketball is a sport that can only be played by people 6 foot and above AT MINIMUM. And the average height in the NBA is 6-6, but the average height of a US male is only 5-9. As long as money is involved, people will still play in the NFL for hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of dollars. 

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, HOUSE said:

My uncle was a coal miner in Pennsylvania and he suffered with black lung for 30 years. 

So I asked him why did you choose a career that was so dangerous?

He said,  FOR THE MONEY

Moral of the story,  you make the choices, know the risks 

 

Yeah, Lil’ Dirty had an interesting exchange with Ty Dunne on their show after the Ravens game.

McKenzie was talking about his concussion, and Ty Dunne mentioned that he’d had a concussion playing rec basketball and how it affected him for several weeks.

 

A bit later, Dunne asked him essentially, how he could go out there over the middle knowing he might get hit and concussed again (I think he suggested, it might permanently affect you).  McKenzie said we all know the risks, we choose to play the game.  Then he asked Ty Dunne, what would you rather do, get a concussion playing rec basketball, or get a concussion while you’re getting paid a million dollars to play NFL football?  

 

Pretty clear Dunne hadn’t thought about getting a concussion playing rec basketball quite like that before, and was like “OK, fair point” 

Edited November 4, 2022 by Beck Water

[Beast]

1 hour ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

 

That's part of the problem... most of the South has a lesser respect for actual human life and it shows.

And you? Why do you follow football? Do you have a lesser respect for human life? 

 

GTFO with your pompous bull####.

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

1 hour ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

 

That's part of the problem... most of the South has a lesser respect for actual human life and it shows.

because shootings and murders are only committed in the south?

 

[Nextmanup]

4 hours ago, I am the egg man said:

American 🏈, unlike 🏀⚾️🏒will recede in the talent pool.

 

Maybe not in my lifetime, but 20 years from now, definitely.

If it gets to the point where insurers will not insure low level school athletics, the sport will die.

 

The trend could be that entire school districts will be getting out of football.

 

 

[MJS]

2 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

That's part of the problem... most of the South has a lesser respect for actual human life and it shows.

Just admit it. You know nothing about the South.

[Big Turk]

4 hours ago, HOUSE said:

My uncle was a coal miner in Pennsylvania and he suffered with black lung for 30 years. 

So I asked him why did you choose a career that was so dangerous?

He said,  FOR THE MONEY

Moral of the story,  you make the choices, know the risks 

 

Was he in Zoolander?