Former NFL wide receiver Antwaan Randle El retired in 2012 after last playing during the 2010 season. Like many others who have come and gone from professional football, the game took a serious toll on his body. Unfortunately, the lingering effects are so bad that Randle El wishes he could turn back the clock and choose a different career path.
Randle El, who played five seasons in Pittsburgh, recently spoke to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for a lengthy feature that documents the Steelers’ Super Bowl victories. The 36-year-old says he would have pursued baseball if he knew over 15 years ago what he knows now.
“If I could go back, I wouldn’t play football”, Randle El said, per Jacob Emert of The Washington Post. “I would play baseball. I got drafted by the Cubs in the 14th round, but I didn’t play baseball because of my parents. They made me go to school. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game of football. But right now, I could still be playing baseball.”
Randle El was one of four former players who filed a lawsuit against the NFL in 2013 alleging that players have been mislead about the dangers of concussions. The suit was consolidated with one from thousands of other players in 2015, and Randle El was among those who received part of a $900 million settlement with the league.
These days, the former Steeler and Redskin says he has trouble going down stairs and sometimes has to “come down sideways, depending on the day.” He also suffers from memory loss.
“I ask my wife things over and over again, and she’s like, ‘I just told you that,’” Randle El explained. “I’ll ask her three times the night before and get up in the morning and forget. Stuff like that. I try to chalk it up as I’m busy, I’m doing a lot, but I have to be on my knees praying about it, asking God to allow me to not have these issues and live a long life. I want to see my kids raised up. I want to see my grandkids.”
As we know, Randle El is hardly alone. There aren’t enough players who talk openly about the health complications that resulted from their playing careers, though we heard similar stuff from one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play.
Because of the dangers associated with playing football, Randle El says he would not be surprised if the NFL is no more in 20 to 25 years. Some players have already vowed to donate their brains to research studies when they die, which should call more attention to the issue. Even if football is still around in 25 years, it’s safe to assume parents will be thinking a lot longer and harder about letting their children play.
