Jordan Reed

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

<sigh> It's been a while since I have been Schneeded.

Yes. He's going to play because, for now, he can choose to do so without it affecting his play. To me, given his history with concussions and his general injury history, he seems to have a little of the "eggshell" effect - one of those guys who just gets injured. Further, because of that, I think it very possible he will get his bell rung one to many times with the result that his physical ability to play will become impaired.

In terms of players forced out due to concussive effects, two come to mind. Jahvid Best and Jovan Belcher. Of course, no one was talking about concussive effects being a factor until recently and the cumulative effects of multiple concussions has only recently been discussed at the NFL levels. In the case of Belcher, it wasn't until they exhumed his body and founds signs of CTE that the role of concussions in his murder-suicide was even considered.

Have players been cut b/c they weren't as sharp as they once were? Are there symptoms we recognize now that weren't obvious before this discussion began? Bottom line is that, we don't know how many careers were cut short by concussive effects b/c no one was really checking that. While generally occurring later in life, some concussive effects can have permanent or live altering effects after even after a second such event.



AANS - Concussion

Then there's this: 11 NFL Careers Cut Short By Concussions

Just b/c it is only recently that this issue has gotten attention doesn't mean players weren't affected by it previously. Because concussions effect everyone differently, and not every head trauma is the same, I suspect that, for every guy who has played through 15-20 concussions with no ill-effects, there are guys who are never the same after the first couple. There is simply no way to know how many players' careers were ended "against their will" b/c of concussions for the simple reason that, before 2010 or so, it was not a matter of public attention. Guys who had their "bell-rung" one too many times were likely cut with little or no fanfare.

I concede you one point. Much depends on the willingness of the player to play on despite numerous concussions. At the same time, you want to pretend that concussions can never have a progressive effect on a player's physical abilities and cut his NFL career short? Well, that's just obstinate Schneeding.

Holy blah blah blah.

Dude, you found an article saying there are 11 out of the thousands of players who have played in the NFL over that period. If he's willing to play through it, as he said he has, there's very little reason to believe he'll be one of the very rare folks to be forced out due to brain health.

I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned for him. Never did I brush it aside. I'm "Schneeding" this asinine idea that he may not play another down (AW) and that this may shorten his career. That's a bridge too far.