Ever since Kurt Warner made a few comments about how he would not want his kids to play in the NFL given what he knows about the long-term effects of head injuries, everyone has wanted to weigh in on the topic. The latest Hall of Famer to do so is former Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw. During an appearance on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno Wednesday night, Bradshaw agreed with Warner and others that he would rather his son not play football if he had one.
“If I had a son today, I would not let him play football,” Bradshaw told Leno adding that he suffered six serious concussions during his playing days. “There will be a time in the next decade where we will not see football as it is.”
Bradshaw said he believes over the next several years we will see the contact sports “slowly phase away” in favor of less violent sports like basketball, baseball, and soccer. While the NFL has boosted their efforts recently to show people they care about the long-term health of their players, Bradshaw — who as you know is an NFL analyst — said not to buy it.
“I have to be careful here because I work for Fox and NFL Network, but I don’t think they care,” he explained. “They’re forced to care now because it’s politically correct to care. Lawsuits make you care. I think the P.R. makes you care. But personally, when I got out in 1983, do I think they cared about me? No. And you know what? I don’t expect them to. I don’t need them to worry about me. I take care of myself. But, do they care? They’re forced to care right now because, P.R.-wise, it’s not very favorable to them.”
Considering what he said about Warner, I’m guessing Merril Hoge would not appreciate Bradshaw’s analysis regarding the state of the NFL.
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