Jordan Cameron: Many NFL players do not love football

Jordan Cameron is out of the NFL by choice at age 28 after his fourth career concussion, and as he reflected on his NFL career, he admitted that he didn’t see many players who were passionate about the game.

The former tight end told ESPN that he didn’t think a love of football was a motivating factor for the majority of players in the NFL.

“I don’t think a lot of these guys love football, to be honest,” Cameron said, via ESPN’s Pat McManamon. “A lot of them don’t. You play for other reasons, and every guy has their own reason. They know why, and as long as your why is really important, you keep playing without really loving football.

“Because really, who loves to get hit in 10-degree weather by a 280-pound person? Really, no one likes that. ‘Do you love football?’ I couldn’t stand when people asked me that.”

Cameron said he personally appreciated the opportunities that came with playing in the NFL. He enjoyed competing and loved his teammates, but he wouldn’t go as far as to say that he really loved the game.

“Do you really love football?” Cameron said. “A lot of guys don’t really love it. There’s a few guys that love it. Ray Lewis loves football. Peyton Manning. They love it. But a lot of guys don’t really love this game, and there are players that will read this who will understand exactly what I’m talking about.”

It’s hard to love something that you got four concussions while doing and ended up in an early retirement, even if you were doing it by choice. It’s interesting that he feels most players would be with him on that.