J.J. Watt says he accepts the risks of brain trauma as an NFL player
The three-time Defensive Player of the Year isn't planning on stepping away from the game due to concussions.
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3 min read
A wave of young players are stepping away from potentially lucrative football careers due to health concerns. Chris Borland, A.J. Tarpley, and Husain Abdullah have all retired in the past year or so. Just don't expect J.J. Watt to add his name to that list.
In Peter King's profile on Watt for the Monday Morning Quarterback, he asks the Texans' superstar about head trauma -- the exact health reason those players above cited -- and if Watt holds any reservations about extending his career because of the looming threat of brain damage.
Watt's response was long, but he told King that he wasn't worried, at least not at this time. He even compared his profession to firefighting, because NFL players shouldn't be shocked when they take a hit to the head and firefighters shouldn't be surprised when they confront fire.
Here's the first part of Watt's response in the story:
"So," he said, after thinking about how he wanted to say this, "I respect every guy that has walked away. I think every single guy in this league makes his own decision, and that's perfectly fine. The reason I respect that and the reason I think every guy has his own way of dealing with things, is because in my personal opinion I know what I'm getting into. I know that I'm going out there and I know that I am going to get hit in the head, I know that's part of football. That's like a firefighter knowing he is going to go into a fire at some point. You know you are going to be put in danger's way, and you accept that risk and you do it."
Watt continued, explaining why he, specifically, isn't deterred by the risk. Of note, Watt doesn't promise that he won't ever walk away from the game earlier than expected due to health concerns. As he says, he doesn't have a family at this point and his opinion could change once he has kids.
From the MMQB's story:
"I choose to continue doing it. That's my choice. If I wanted to walk away, I could.
"But I love the competition. I love everything that comes along with competing on a day-to-day basis. I love my team. And I love what the game does for not only myself, but helping to inspire millions of people. I'm not at that point [of leaving the game]. I can't say that I will never get to that point, but I know the risk going into it and I'm a grown man and I can make my own decisions. So I'm going to continue to play until I feel like that risk is too great. And maybe there is a difference because I am a single 27-year-old, as opposed to having a family and kids to think about. But I think it's one of those situations where you understand the risk and then you use that information to make your own decision."
Then, Watt referenced Borland, the former linebacker for the 49ers who was poised to serve as a centerpiece for a rebuilding team. But in March of last year, Borland shockingly retired after one season. And earlier this month, Borland indicated that early retirements could become a trend. Watt, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, isn't expecting to contribute to that trend.
Here's another quote from King's story:
"So a guy like Chris Borland used that information to make the decision that he didn't want to play. And that is absolutely great for him. I know the information and I continue to play. As long as you have the proper information and you use that, then you can make whatever decision you want. But I'm not one of those guys who's out here, mad at the world because I am getting my head hit.
"Yeah, I play football, I'm going to get my head hit. That's the way it goes. People love it."
The connection between concussions and CTE, while always an important topic, has made headlines this offseason. For the first time ever, the NFL admitted that a link between the two exists. But after the NFL's surprising admission, owners publicly disagreed, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones calling a link between concussions and CTE "absurd."
Just last month, the New York Times published a story that alleged the NFL had ties to Big Tobacco and that the league's reseach into concussions was flawed. The NFL demanded a retraction -- a demand the Times rejected.
