If I were Brian Dawkins I would seriously consider hanging it up. By now you realize that the Eagles are taking the stinger injury which Dawk suffered against the Redskins very seriously.
A few days after the Skins game, a person at NFL Films who viewed the footage of the Eagles-Redskins game said that one of their microphones captured Dawkins yelling, "I can't feel my arms, I can't feel my arms", as he lay on the ground after the hit on a Redskins tight end. I didn't say anything about it For me that's reason to say so long to football or at least seriously consider it. Dawk has a wonderful family and has already had a great career. Sure he'd love to continue his that career, but is it worth risking being paralyzed. I don't think so. I'd say so long.
Seattle fullback Mack Strong had a similar injury to the one Dawkins sustained, now Strong has decided to retire. This puts the Eagles in a precarious situation because they don’t want to put Dawkins on the field if he 's in jeopardy of being seriously injured. It's been four weeks since he suffered the stinger, yet it still looks like he won't play on Sunday. Dawk has said he doesn't want to get back out there until he doesn't have to be concerned at all about his neck. I don't think that time will ever come. Brian only knows how to play one way and that's at full speed with the use of his head and shoulders. Collisions are a major part of his game. They're his trademark. I don't think he should risk his long-term health going back on the football field.
Dawk should read what Strong had to say when he announced his retirement. “There’s a lot more to life than football. I have my wife and two kids and there is nothing more important than being able to spend time with them. If I hadn’t been able to walk off that field, obviously life goes on, but I’m just grateful that I had the opportunity to make that decision, make that choice. To me it’s a no-brainer. I’ve given all, every ounce inside of me, to football. I feel like I gave every ounce I had so I have no regrets. I feel very sober about my situation and for the last three years, it’s funny, okay, at some point you have to move on with your life.”
Did you hear Andy Reid butchering the conversation about the Dawkins injury? His policy about players not talking about their injuries wasn't helped by his explanation of Dawkins injury. I'm still trying to figure what he said. Dawkins could probably do a better job of explaining his injury but he's not allowed to do so. Here you have a thirty-plus year old man, who might one day go into the "Hall of Fame" yet he can't even sit down like an adult and talk about a career threatening injury.
