Brain damage in football has become a serious issue in recent years, and Eugene Monroe is the latest player to quit the game he loves for fear of it.
The 29-year-old offensive lineman, released by the Baltimore Ravens in June, announced his retirement Thursday after just eight NFL seasons. In a post on The Players’ Tribune, Monroe said he’s worried about contracting the dangerous brain disease CTE.
“The last 18 years have been full of traumatic injuries to both my head and my body,” Monroe wrote. “… Has the damage to my brain already been done? Do I have CTE? I hope I don’t, but over 90 percent of the brains of former NFL players that have been examined showed signs of the disease. I am terrified.”
Current and former NFL players have become increasingly concerned about the long-term effects of football amid recent studies that have directly linked CTE and concussions. San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland retired at just 24 years old last season, also citing concussion concerns.
Monroe, who has suffered multiple concussions, says he already has noticed signs of potential brain damage, such as leaving his phone in the freezer and forgetting he put it there.
“I need to take stock of my current health, and I don’t want to miss a thing,” Monroe wrote. “I’m going to get brain and body imaging scans, mental health assessments — anything that might help me get a handle on the state of my body and my mind. My health is critical to the future of my family.”
Monroe also is an outspoken advocate for using medical marijuana as an alternative to painkillers and will continue to push for its use during his retirement.
Thumbnail photo via Mitch Stringer/USA TODAY Sports Images
