Don't expect Antwaan Randle El to do any NFL public service announcements anytime soon.
The nine-year NFL veteran wide receiver with the Steelers and Redskins says the sport simply is too violent to continue and believes the game of football has a limited shelf life.
Broncos Aqib Talib Says Ben Roethlisberger Faked Shoulder Injury
"Right now, I wouldn't be surprised if football isn't around in 20, 25 years," Randle El told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The former college quarterback revealed that he has memory issues and has pain walking down stairs, and he believes the plight of younger players is only going to get worse.
Chip Kelly Hire In San Francisco May Work, According To LeSean McCoy
"The kids are getting bigger and faster, so the concussions, the severe spinal cord injuries, are only going to get worse," he said. "It's a tough pill to swallow because I love the game of football. But I tell parents, you can have the right helmet, the perfect pads on, and still end up with a paraplegic kid.
"There's no correcting it. There's no helmet that's going to correct it. There's no teaching that's going to correct it. It just comes down to it's a physically violent game. Football players are in a car wreck every week."
Randle El, now 36 years old, never reached the Pro Bowl, but he missed just one game in his nine seasons and was a starter for four years. He amassed 370 career receptions for 4,467 yards with 15 touchdowns during his two NFL stops.
His best years came with the Redskins; he had 51 receptions for a career-high 728 yards with one touchdown in 2007. In 2008, the wide receiver had a career-high 53 receptions for 593 yards with a career-high four touchdowns.
But Randle El now believes his best years would been better spent in baseball.
"If I could go back, I wouldn't," Randle El said. "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."
For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
