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Does NFL early retirement hurt football?

By Dan Salem

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Does NFL early retirement hurt football? Many young players chose to move on this offseason, a trend that will change the NFL dramatically. Change is good. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

TODD:

Through the wacky free agency signing period and the tumultuous trades that rocked the NFL this past week, a different storyline has grabbed some attention.

Young, talented, players due large sums of money are doing something we’ve never seen before in league history; they’re quitting.

Perhaps the only examples of voluntary early retirement in NFL history of players who were still in their primes were a few running backs: Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and Robert Smith are the only examples that come to mind. Each player had their own reason for hanging it up. They were isolated exceptions but for the most part NFL players don’t retire unless forced to.

However, this offseason things are different. All-Pro linebacker Patrick Willis started things off by announcing his retirement at the age of 30. Then a flurry started of even younger players saying they were finished.

Outside backer Jason Worilds retired before he was set to get a nice big contract. Cortland Finnegan retired despite being a solid cornerback in this league. Jake Locker retired even though he was arguably the best quarterback available on the market. And just this Monday, 24-year-old Chris Borland said he was hanging up his cleats.

In the former examples, no literal reason was given for the player retiring. Willis sited foot troubles; Worilds wanted to pursue other interests; Locker’s heart wasn’t in the game anymore. These were the general retirement clichés.

Borland though made headlines. The young 49ers backer specifically stated to ESPN’s Outside the Lines that he was quitting “because of concerns about the long-term effects of repetitive head trauma.”

Nov 27, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver

Michael Crabtree

(15) suffers an injury after being tackled by Seattle Seahawks strong safety

Kam Chancellor

(31) and middle linebacker

Bobby Wagner

(54) in the first quarter at Levi

This is incredibly impact-full news for the NFL. Not only are talented players in their 20s quitting the league, but the negative health concerns the league has been terrified of for years are now the reason. These guys are giving up millions and millions of dollars because they feel as though the NFL is not safe.

Through all the controversies and domestic violence concerns and steroids and everything else, THIS is the biggest threat to the future of this league. Without the best players playing, the rest doesn’t even matter.

Am I overreacting to this March’s events? Was this an isolated blip on the league radar? To me, it was just the start of a mass exodus over the next decade or so that could decimate pro football.

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DAN:

I have one major problem with what you just said, before I dive into what is likely to be a trend going forward. How dare you say that these professional athletes quit? I’m sorry, but that word should only be used for someone giving up on themselves and on their team. None of these NFL players have given up. Quite the contrary; they chose to let go of what was previously the most important part of their life. That takes guts. These men have retired.

Although its difficult not to focus on the NFL in the case of long-term health risks, this is not an NFL problem. It’s a reality of the game of football. Don’t be coy, we knew these very same risks years and years ago. I played football for four years in highschool and had no desire to continue. It was very hard to stop playing, but the pros of moving on out weighed the cons. The simple fact is, if you don’t love playing football more than anything, stop.

I find it interesting that these young players are moving on from the game, but it makes sense to me. If adult males reach their physical peak around the age of 25, then every year after we are more prone to injury. We are less likely to handle trauma and more likely to feel negative effects later in life. This is not new information, just so we are clear.

The mentality of football is changing, whether fans like it or not. Players used to play through the pain and most still do. But you were a wussy if you didn’t. Now leagues protect players from themselves. It’s refreshing to see players also looking out for their own long-term interests.

Oct 12, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Giants wide receiver

Victor Cruz

(80) with trainer Byron Hansen as he is carted off the field after an injury during the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

There is no right or wrong here. I’m one to embrace living in the present, making the most of today, and not worrying about an unknown future. But I fully respect those that see a potential problem in their lives and do something to stop it. That’s what has begun to happen in the NFL.

Ultimately this will dramatically change the NFL, but not how you think. As long as fans enjoy watching young men play football, the NFL will thrive. But the league will most likely get younger. If more and more players begin retiring by age 26, then the league gets younger. Teams must rely more and more on coaching and finding young leaders, with veteran presence diminishing.

That trend, a younger NFL, ultimately boosts the college game, making it that much more critical. NFL careers become shorter by choice, so college preparation is vital. Rookies play immediately by default and the money for them explodes once again. Fewer players earning high level veteran salaries means more money for the younger crop of talent. It all trickles down.

Don’t be afraid of the game changing. A younger NFL is a safer NFL. Older players get hurt more and are stuck with bad habits taught to them by a forgotten generation of coaches. A lack of veteran leadership may sting, but any transition like this happens over years, not a season or two. It will feel organic and the NFL will live on.

TODD:

Two clarifying points to finish up with.

First, I meant “quit” in the sense of the definition of the word. Quit meaning leave, depart from. There was no negative connotation intended.

Second, a younger NFL may not be a bad thing, but don’t be confused about the money. Money will not trickle down to these players. That age group plays under rookie contracts which have a set scale, unless the entire collective bargaining agreement changes as well.

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