Kris Jenkins: Fans Have No Idea About The Reality Of Football

[21isSuperman]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82445843/article/kris-jenkins-says-fans-have-no-clue-about-realities-of-football?module=HP11_headline_stack

"You ever been in a car crash? Done bumper cars? You know when that hit catches you off guard and jolts you, and you’re like, what the heck? Football is like that. But 10 times worse. It’s heck."

Jenkins had four major operations during his career and said he suffered more than 10 concussions since the start of college, but "nobody cared."

--

I understand that football is a dangerous sport and everything. But if you're really concerned about the safety, why not go into coaching, management or scouting instead of playing? Or find another job? They get paid millions to play a game and they know all of the risks before they ever step onto the field. Hockey players go through things like this too, same with boxers, same with many other athletes. You know all of the risks before you even step onto the field/ice/ring/wherever. You get paid millions to play a game, meanwhile there are thousands of people who don't know where their next meal is going to come from.

[CR91]

http://www.nfl.com/n..._headline_stack

"You ever been in a car crash? Done bumper cars? You know when that hit catches you off guard and jolts you, and you’re like, what the heck? Football is like that. But 10 times worse. It’s heck."

Jenkins had four major operations during his career and said he suffered more than 10 concussions since the start of college, but "nobody cared."

--

I understand that football is a dangerous sport and everything. But if you're really concerned about the safety, why not go into coaching, management or scouting instead of playing? Or find another job? They get paid millions to play a game and they know all of the risks before they ever step onto the field. Hockey players go through things like this too, same with boxers, same with many other athletes. You know all of the risks before you even step onto the field/ice/ring/wherever. You get paid millions to play a game, meanwhile there are thousands of people who don't know where their next meal is going to come from.

great point superman

[Andy]

If you don't like it, don't do it...

[MAC]

Everyone knows that car insurance rates start to go down when you turn 25 or so. The brain is fully developed by that point, and maturity slips in whether you want it to or not.

The point is, I can understand the blind hunger and disregard for personal safety evident in all players coming out of college, but it amazes me that someone like Reggie (for example) would have the desire to sign another contract. He is over 30, has young kids that live out of state during the season, has never suffered a serious injury, and has enough money in the bank never to have to work another day in his life. At some point you have to wonder why he doesn't start thinking "what exactly is the point of this again"?

[everybodysgotone]

Some athletes are just smart, dedicated workin' men before anything else, pure and simple. Zach Thomas, Peyton Manning, Ronnie Lott, Brett Favre, Reggie White, Hines Ward, Champ Bailey, Barry Sanders....Ozzie Smith, Cap Ripken Jr., Orel Hershiser, Tony Gwynn.....the list goes on & on these are just a few prominent examples jumping to mind where looking at a complete body of work is easy. What they do at their craft transcends most everything else. Reggie Wayne is in the woking man end of the spectrum. Some guys like Earl Campbell just got used up, but even in his example there's no room for second guessing what he meant to his team or his on-field efforts.

[pacolts56]

Everyone knows that car insurance rates start to go down when you turn 25 or so. The brain is fully developed by that point, and maturity slips in whether you want it to or not.

The point is, I can understand the blind hunger and disregard for personal safety evident in all players coming out of college, but it amazes me that someone like Reggie (for example) would have the desire to sign another contract. He is over 30, has young kids that live out of state during the season, has never suffered a serious injury, and has enough money in the bank never to have to work another day in his life. At some point you have to wonder why he doesn't start thinking "what exactly is the point of this again"?

I agree 100%.... add a neck injury, which IS serious, to that description.... and we have almost the same scenario with Peyton.

That is kind of why, at the outset of Peyton's injury revelations, I sharply re-calibrated my expectations of the remainder of his career to 1 or 2 seasons rather than the full 4 seasons.

I hope I'm wrong about his career shelf life and I hope he's healthy enough to play his contract thru..... but its also hard for me to see a guy as brilliant on the field as Peyton Manning disregarding the bigger picture of the rest of his life when he's already cemented a great NFL legacy and the financial security that goes along with it.

[oldunclemark]

http://www.nfl.com/n..._headline_stack

"You ever been in a car crash? Done bumper cars? You know when that hit catches you off guard and jolts you, and you’re like, what the heck? Football is like that. But 10 times worse. It’s heck."

Jenkins had four major operations during his career and said he suffered more than 10 concussions since the start of college, but "nobody cared."

--

I understand that football is a dangerous sport and everything. But if you're really concerned about the safety, why not go into coaching, management or scouting instead of playing? Or find another job? They get paid millions to play a game and they know all of the risks before they ever step onto the field. Hockey players go through things like this too, same with boxers, same with many other athletes. You know all of the risks before you even step onto the field/ice/ring/wherever. You get paid millions to play a game, meanwhile there are thousands of people who don't know where their next meal is going to come from.

This suggest our earlier discussion of Austin Collie...

Forget Manning....Collie is risking his life every time he goes across the middle and he knows it..

He could die on the field.

But its his choice...and me saying he should not do it....means nothing...

If you drive on the interstate in the winter at night you test fate/......its just that they test it more and get a bigger reward..

This is the 'bigger picture'.....for them..This is the highlight of their lives.....Its what they are all about..

They will play every single game until they physically cannot play anymore...

NFL players dont suddenly see the risk and quit

So they'll play and I'll cheer for 'em... because they are doing what they want to do..

[21isSuperman]

This suggest our earlier discussion of Austin Collie...

Forget Manning....Collie is risking his life every time he goes across the middle and he knows it..

He could die on the field.

But its his choice...and me saying he should not do it....means nothing...

If you drive on the interstate in the winter at night you test fate/......its just that they test it more and get a bigger reward..

This is the 'bigger picture'.....for them..This is the highlight of their lives.....Its what they are all about..

They will play every single game until they physically cannot play anymore...

NFL players dont suddenly see the risk and quit

So they'll play and I'll cheer for 'em... because they are doing what they want to do..

Technically, every play is a risk in the NFL...or any sport for that matter. One wrong hit to the knee and your career could be over. Every single player knows all of the risks involved. If they risks are too much, don't play. If you don't care about the risks, then play, but don't go complaining that "fans don't know the reality of football". Fans know the reality of real life. Fans know that if they lose their job, it's going to be hard to get a new one. Fans don't have millions in the bank to fall back on.