Former NFL fullback Le’Ron McClain pleaded with the NFL on Twitter over the weekend, to help him get his “head checked.” McClain wants the league to assist him in seeking medical help for the brain issues he believes he’s enduring as a result of his playing career.
McClain played for the Ravens and Chargers during his seven year career.
Though, in his Twitter posts, the former member of the Raven went all the way back to high school to illustrate the toll he believes football has taken on his mental health.
McClain believes playing fullback put him at extra risk, and said the league’s reaction would be different if it were a quarterback asking for help:
“Studies have found that a large majority of NFL players may suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a rare brain disease believed to be caused by repeated head trauma such as concussions.
“The degenerative disease can cause several symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, depression, impulse control and dementia that appear years after the blows to the head. A diagnosis can only come after death through brain tissue analysis,” the Hill reports.
The NFL has undertaken a myriad of initiatives to combat and prevent the symptoms that are associated with the disease.
On the field, the league has implemented a new targeting rule, which forbids a player from lowering his head to initiate and make contact against an opponent. Off the field, the league has funded research into the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the disease.
In addition, the NFL has awarded over a billion dollars in settlements to thousands of players who filed a class action lawsuit against the league.
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