If anyone should be an expert on safety, hits and the NFL, you’d think it’d be Ed Reed. Well, at Super Bowl media day Reed not only noted the dangers that he and all players face, but also brought a since-deceased player back into the fray.
“Did he sign up for it?” said Reed when asked about former NFL linebacker Junior Seau, according to ESPN. “Yeah, he signed up for it.
“Junior gave everything he had to football. I’m sure he’s looking down and has no regrets.”
During media day, Reed left no ambiguity that players understand the dangers of their chosen profession. He was asked several questions regarding concussions, and left no doubt of the realities of their effects. Reed even noted that he’s already feeling some of the downside that comes with playing football for a living.
“I feel effects from it,” said Reed. “Some days, I wake up and I’m like, ‘Where did my memory go?’ But I signed up for it.”
Ravens safety Bernard Pollard, who delivered a devastating hit to Patriots running back Stevan Ridley during the AFC Championship Game, echoed Reed’s thoughts. When asked about his recent statements that the NFL wouldn’t exist in 30 years, Pollard absolutely did not back down.
“I stand by what I said. I’m entitled to my own opinion. I play this game and I understand it,” said Pollard. “For me growing up, to see where the game has gone from then to now. … Guys are getting bigger, stronger, faster. It’s not the equipment.”
Moreover, Pollard also questioned whether he and his wife want their four-year-old son playing football eventually, noting that he’s already showing an interest in playing.
“My son will be five [years old] in a couple days,” said Pollard. “He wants to throw football and be tackled. I see it in him. My wife and I talk about it all the time. I know concussions can happen anywhere. I dont want to see my son go through that.”
