SANTA CLARA, Ca. - 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, 24, announced on Monday that he will retire from the NFL out of concern for long-term injuries from repetitive head trauma.
It is an announcement that will likely do little or no good to a league that has extended itself greatly to limit this very concern.
A promising rookie last season, Borland recorded 107 tackles and two interceptions with the 49ers, though underwent a serious change of heart for his future after personal discussions with members of his family, friends, and current and former teammates.
He also researched the effects of long-term neurodegenerative disease and consulted with concussion specialists and researchers on his own.
What he heard from them must have been enough.
"I just honestly want to do what's best for my health," Borland told Outside the Lines. "From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk."
The decision had not come lightly, nor suddenly, as Borland said he had considered such a move as early as last season's training camp as his research was ongoing. He experienced what he thought was a concussion during a run play in practice, but played through to make the team.
The concern, though, stayed with him and began to progress.
"I just thought to myself, 'What am I doing? Is this how I'm going to live my adult life, banging my head, especially with what I've learned and know about the dangers?'"
He would write a letter to his family after a preseason game with Houston, describing to them how he thought his career would be brief out of concern for his long-term brain health.
"I feel largely the same, as sharp as I've ever been," Borland said of his current state. "For me, it's wanting to be proactive. I'm concerned that if you wait 'til you have symptoms, it's too late. . . There are a lot of unknowns. I can't claim that X will happen. I just want to live a long, healthy life, and I don't want to have any neurological diseases or die younger than I would otherwise."
The 49ers confirmed Borland's retirement in a statement released by general manager Trent Baalke.
"While unexpected, we certainly respect Chris' decision," he said. "From speaking with Chris, it was evident that he had put a great deal of thought into this decision. He was a consummate professional from day one and a very well-respected member of our team and community. Chris is a determined young man that overcame long odds in his journey to the NFL, and we are confident he will use the same approach to become very successful in his future endeavors. We will always consider him a 49er and wish him all the best."
Borland is the most prominent player to yet retire from the league because of head-injury fears. More than 70 former players have been given postmortem diagnoses of progressive neurological problems in recent years. Some have committed suicide from the onset despair resulting of this brain damage, and many studies have confirmed a connection between head trauma of the kind in football and diseases like general and major depression and memory loss.
The NFL, per senior vice-president of health and safety Jeff Miller, released a statement in support of Borland's decision, and their own efforts to curb major head injuries in the national game.
"Playing any sport is a personal decision. By any measure, football has never been safer and we continue to make progress with rule changes, safer tackling techniques at all levels of football, and better equipment, protocols, and medical care for players," Miller said.
"Concussions in NFL games were down 25 percent last year, continuing a three-year downward trend. We continue to make significant investments in independent research to advance the science and understanding of these issues. We are seeing a growing culture of safety."
A culture in which Chris Borland sees room for improvement.
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