Detroit Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis has said that he does not want his 3-year-old son, Rashean Mathis Jr., to play football when he grows up, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein. Mathis was finally diagnosed with a concussion a week after suffering the injury and was placed on injured reserve for the third time in his career, prompting him to think about retirement.
Mathis said that not enough players really know about the dangers involved in football. The Lions cornerback has researched football and the studies connecting it to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to Rothstein. He has watch the PBS-broadcast documentary "League of Denial" and read the "Frontline" report that revealed 87 of 91 deceased NFL players found positive for CTE.
"You see guys that it's affected, that CTE has affected and has affected tremendously, and the thought that this could be a reality is almost like ... this can't be a reality for me," said Mathis, via ESPN. "It's a double-edged sword because you think that, 'OK, this can't be my reality.' But at the same time you couldn't be that naïve and say that, 'OK, how can't this be your reality when this same person did exactly what you're doing."
Mathis has stated that he plans to donate his brain to research to see how football might have affected it. "It's not in my will yet, but I'm sure it will be," said Mathis via ESPN. "If you can do anything after, it's kind of like donating your organs after death. Why wouldn't you if they are healthy enough to help someone else live or make life better."
Mathis says that he does not want his son to play football and will introduce him to plenty of other sports including golf, baseball, basketball and soccer, according to ESPN. Mathis won't stop his son from playing football, but won't let him compete until at least high school.
Lawyers have appealed the $1 billion plan to address concussion-linked injuries in former players, as the settlement leaves out the central brain injury linked to football. With more information released, players are weighing their choice to play football, and young players like linebacker Chris Borland have decided to walk away from the game.
Mathis has said that the knowledge players have today has changed since he entered the league in 2003, and that players rarely talked about such injuries in the locker room. The Lions cornerback believes that will eventually change, as more information regarding the subject is released to players and their families.
