Belichick Prodded Him to Practice With Concussion
Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:58 pm
Click this Link for the story........
Former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said coach Bill Belichick subjected him to hard hits in practice while he was recovering from a concussion - against the advice of the team's top trainer.
Johnson, who helped the Patriots win three Super Bowl titles before retiring two years ago, told The New York Times that a collision with another player during that 2002 practice led to another concussion. And, after sustaining additional concussions over the next three seasons, he now forgets people's names, misses appointments and suffers from depression and an addiction to amphetamines.
"There's something wrong with me," the 34-year-old Johnson said in Friday's Times. "There's something wrong with my brain. And I know when it started."
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So, what are your thoughts on players with concussions and coaches that let them play.
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My take,
The Coach's job is to motivate his player to play. It is up to the player and the team physician to decide if a player can play.
This is a sad story that has happened to many retired NFL players and will happen to many more in the future (ahem Roesthlisberger...)
Ted Johnson was a great player and represented himself as a role model while he was a player. I feel bad for Ted and wish him the bestbut Ted Johnson is not right to blame the coach for this...
Former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said coach Bill Belichick subjected him to hard hits in practice while he was recovering from a concussion - against the advice of the team's top trainer.
Johnson, who helped the Patriots win three Super Bowl titles before retiring two years ago, told The New York Times that a collision with another player during that 2002 practice led to another concussion. And, after sustaining additional concussions over the next three seasons, he now forgets people's names, misses appointments and suffers from depression and an addiction to amphetamines.
"There's something wrong with me," the 34-year-old Johnson said in Friday's Times. "There's something wrong with my brain. And I know when it started."
*****************
So, what are your thoughts on players with concussions and coaches that let them play.
*****************
My take,
The Coach's job is to motivate his player to play. It is up to the player and the team physician to decide if a player can play.
This is a sad story that has happened to many retired NFL players and will happen to many more in the future (ahem Roesthlisberger...)
Ted Johnson was a great player and represented himself as a role model while he was a player. I feel bad for Ted and wish him the bestbut Ted Johnson is not right to blame the coach for this...