One of the keys to being able to play in the National Football League is having the ability to play free from fear. That’s a problem now with veteran running back Brian Westbrook and he’s admitted it.
Westbrook was on HBO’s Joe Buck Show last night and he came straight out and said that he’s fearful about playing after his concussions.
He’s been looking at the information about former NFL players struggling with the health after sustaining numerous concussions in their football careers.
“I’m worried about it,” Westbrook said. “Concussions have been all over the headlines and all over the papers, and it has been on the top of my mind since the Redskins game on the 26th of October.”
The running back position is the most demanding spot in the NFL and they get hit more than anybody else. Westbrook knows that and realizes that stepping back on the field will mean taking a major risk with his health.
“I’m very concerned just because there is not a lot of data that says in 10 years or 20 years you’ll be fine if you had too many concussions,” he said. “I’m worried about that, and, hopefully, next time I go out there I don’t have to worry about it anymore.
“That’s my biggest concern. How am I going to be when I’m 50 or when I’m 60? Will I have all these brain diseases and will I have a problem remembering things? . . . Now, I’m trying to get myself together with the help of the doctors as well as coach [Andy] Reid and the training staff. Now, the most important thing is to get 100 percent healthy – and not play football . . . until I’m 100 percent healthy.”
