Gay didn't play at all in 2011 and probably will not return ever again. According to the Boston Herald, the 30-year-old has been experiencing with concussion symptoms that will now force him to hang up the cleats.
“I can’t play anymore. I wish I could, but I’m still having symptoms from concussions,” Gay said. “I wanted to try again, but I can’t really do anything. Hard, physical activities, I get headaches and nauseous and dizzy and stuff. I’d still like a chance in the NFL, but it’s not worth it.”
Gay also played for the Patriots in his career from 2004-07.
“It’s scary because you don’t know enough about it,” Gay said. “When you play football, it’s the effect of everybody just wants to deal with it. All right, my ankle hurts? I can deal with it. My arm hurts? But I can deal with it. It’s not hurting enough where I can’t play. Then you’ve got the headaches, the concussion thing. I’ve got a headache, but I can deal with it. That’s the mindset that you go through your whole life with. But then it gets to the point where you don’t know enough about head injuries to just say I can deal with it. You might be able to deal with it today, but you don’t know what tomorrow holds. That’s the scary thing about it. That’s the decision you don’t want to make. I love the game of football, and I feel like I can deal with the headaches or just being nauseous. Just being a little dizzy, I can deal with it, but you just never know what it’s going to bring later.”
This brings attention to much of the league, especially since many other retired players have been experiencing problems as well. This is just another sign of it.
Let's hope Gay is well for the rest of his life.
Josh Dhani is the founder of FootBasket. He also contributes at Hoops Authority and Eight Points Nine Seconds. You can read more about him at his website. Follow him on Twitter @joshdhani.
