Written by Kevin Skiver at CBS Sports.com
On Monday’s “Boomer & Carton,” Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton found themselves diving into the much-talked about subject of concussions in football. During the conversation, they began to talk about CTE and how it has forced some younger players to retire earlier than what’s considered the norm. While they were on the topic, Esiason conceded that he may have some form of CTE, and he said that it’s not an isolated case.
“If I died tomorrow and my brain basically was taken and researched and I was found to have CTE, which most likely I have, because I think all football players probably have it,” Boomer said.
CTE has been a serious topic of conversation over the course of the past few weeks. The NFL announced it is dissolving its partnership with the National Institutes of Health mere days after a study found CTE in 110 of 111 players examined. Players such as Chris Borland, who retired after his rookie season, have been bucking the trend by pursuing passions outside of football. Despite steps by the NFL to try to curb head injuries (e.g. the near-elimination of kickoffs and more stringent head-to-head penalties), the worry around concussions has nearly come to a peak in recent years.
To hear this statement may not be surprising, but to hear it come from a former player is eye-opening. Having an athlete that lived it talking about his apparent head trauma is no small matter, even if it’s a comment made in passing. Obviously Boomer was making a point, but he may have inadvertently made much larger one.
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