Chris Borland Retires
Last Saturday I posted a comic with a 49ers fan contemplating suicide (a common theme here at The Draw Play), and I proclaimed this the worst offseason for a team I’ve ever seen. I then assumed I had jinxed it. Just a few days later Chris Borland retires and I could barely muster a response when I saw the news. Borland was the one solace for 49er fans who were devastated by the loss of Willis. A possible future star who anchored the defense as a rookie in the void of Willis & Bowman. Now he’s leaving…for concerns over his future? Because he feels the concussive damage isn’t worth the risk? What?
Hot takes flew from every media pundit out there. I’m honestly glad it didn’t break earlier so I had a chance to read them all instead of making a reflex comic and gather my thoughts because I was pretty stunned. I didn’t want today’s to be terribly political, but on an issue like this it’s practically impossible to not pick a side and not sort of sit back and laugh as I normally try to do. So here are my thoughts on Chris Borland.
I think anyone who calls him a pussy or a coward, a quitter or a wimp, is wrong. What Chris Borland just did is unprecedented in football. Borland turned down thousands of dollars, the possibility of millions of dollars, fame and fortune, because he is concerned for his long term health. A future star walked away. Not because of a tragedy. Not because he was already dealing with injury. He was healthy. He wasn’t a nobody who spent a year in the NFL and thought he wasn’t cut out for it, he had already proved himself in one season. He still chose to value his long term health. Football is a culture of toughness, and he was tough as nails on the field, and he still chose to walk away. He knew what he was doing. He knew that people would call him a coward, that they would call him weak, they’d call him a pussy. He knew Joe from Walnut Creek would call into the radio show and yell about how a couple players kill themselves and suddenly the league is a bunch of pussies. He knew people would call him selfish. He knew people would view him as a quitter. He still walked out. He still did what he felt was right for him. I’m sorry, but that took some massive balls, and I find it hard to consider that move cowardly. Someone should not be shamed for being smart enough to consider the bigger picture for once instead of just mindlessly sacrificing his body for our pleasure.
As for the ramifications to the bigger picture, that’s more interesting. As usual, we have two sides. One side says Borland is an anomaly and football has nothing to worry about, this doesn’t signify the death of football. The other side sees this as the obvious beginning of the end. Also as usual, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
I think Borland is an anomaly, but his actions have the potential to bring serious problems to the NFL down the road. I don’t think the NFL is in trouble right now. For all the players that do suffer brain damage from the game, plenty more do not. While we know CTE is a thing, it’s still not completely understood. We have no way to test living players. So much is still unknown, so what dangers it does pose are still up in the air as to their severity. I hate the NFL for essentially always doing their best to deny it, to sweep it and their terrible care of veterans under the rug, but I can understand it. It’s easy to hide and keep up appearances when the opposition hasn’t figured itself out quite yet. So many idiots are still unwilling to admit how dangerous the sport obviously is that it still pays for the NFL to act like concussions aren’t an extreme danger to the sport. When the studies of football induced brain damage become more clear and impossible to avoid, then the NFL will show it’s true colors. It’s at that time the NFL will either adapt or die. As of right now, I have little faith in it. I think the NFL’s continued denial has to bite them in the ass eventually and each regime is just trying to push it off to the next guy instead of actually trying to do something about it. Ignoring the problem instead of attempting to fix it. When that shoe drops, the league is screwed. Last year the NFL got a severe PR hit because of their inability to be proactive about problems, and they don’t appear to have really fixed any issues, they just throw as much football our way so that we’ll forget how Roger Goodell basically acts like a dictator inventing his own rules, or how owners completely fleece taxpayers to pay for stadiums. The bubble will burst, it’s just a matter of when. Will it burst all at once? Will it slowly deflate as parents refuse to let their kids play the game? Only time will tell.
I don’t understand how people can hate on Borland for his decision. You can debate whether or not you think it’s wise – for the record I think it is – but it has to take a lot of thought and courage to turn down massive short-term reward over long-term concerns. I applaud him for it.
The Raven, The Moron & The Rug.
It’s like Borland has found another route to Narnia.
The more unfortunate problem is that the head of the NFLPA was just reelected and I keep getting the impression that he’s crooked. He’s taken millions of dollars from owners, and it seems like he really doesn’t have the player safety in mind. We have any 5 more years before a new CBA occurs, and I just hope the players hold out in the name of safety. I could go without a little football if it means the players are safe and my kids and grandkids can enjoy the game like I have.
Apparently I need to listen to more sports talk radio – I actually haven’t heard anyone call him a coward or weak for quitting.
Actually, come to think of it, I’m pretty happy not listening to sports talk radio.
Well, if you wanted to get depressed at how absolutely moronic some people are. . . http://www.footballandrationalthoughts.com/2015/03/18/twitter-hot-takes-chris-borland-retires/
I wish Mr. Borland well in his future endeavors. He’s looking out for himself. Regardless of anyone’s opinion, he made a decision based on what he felt was best for him. I applaud that. The promise of money and fame sway most people. On a side note, my favorite joke in this comic is the Tardis joke. Who else is hiding under that rug?
Well said. I’m a 49ers fan, so this has been a rough offseason. I didn’t want to burn the house down when the team let Harbaugh go, but I started to get the lighter fluid as the coaching search and the offseason progressed. He was the lone bright spot when Willis announced he was stepping away, and now he’s gone.
I have massive respect for Borland and his decision. I can’t find any fault in it, I harbor no ill will, and I wish him the very best.
Nice touch adding the deflated football, Dave. Bravo.
under the rug, no less.
Well, I think he is right, if he is smart enough to understand that the health has not price, and that even millionaires would give everything to be healthy, we must say he was brave and smart; but also, I think that the technology must help this sport, I can not believe that with a lot of advance in a lot of areas in the game and outside the game, the league has not the idea of creating an uniform or exoesqueleton like uniform that help the players to avoid injuries. It is an idea I had a long time ago; but I think the bussiness of the medicine is more profitable than the healthy life
I think the NFL will adapt, but only under the next commissioner. I hope that’s not too late.
Hmm…what could possibly be in the “Files to burn” box?…
I can understand why he retired. Quite honestly, I think he’s a bit of a role model for other players, prioritizing health and a happy life over money and glory. That’s something that all NFL players should look up to.
Also, awesome Dr. Who reference. You watch it?
It is kinda funny that Ben Moffat did this 2-3 years ago and no one seemed to notice. He wasn’t 24 but he wasn’t much older.