Athlete Weekly Rundown: Former Super Bowl winner Ben Utech suffering memory loss at 30, Retirees file a rash of lawsuits against the NFL over head injuries & Peja Stojakovic and Brandon Roy retire due to injuries

by Al-Hassan Sheriff 12-26-2011 11:18 PM

Athlete Development

• Former NFL TE Ben Utech won a Super Bowl as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, but he retired after suffering multiple concussions in six seasons. “Will I experience early-onset dementia in my 50s? Will I experience more issues with amnesia or headaches or behavioral changes? All of these things are consequences of brain injury. I think now that I'm aware of them -- especially now that I'm the father of three beautiful little girls -- it's definitely in my heart and on my mind. I'd be lying to you if I said it wasn't.” [Former Super Bowl Winner Suffering Memory Loss at 30]

• As a response to the Browns not testing QB Colt McCoy for a concussion he suffered during a game, the NFL has decided to hire an athletic trainer who specializes in brain injuries for each team. [NFL Adds Concussion-Specific Trainers for Games]

• More former pro athletes are speaking out about how concussions they sustained during their playing day have affected their lives. Former New York Jets wide receivers Al Toon and Wayne Chrebet recently shared their stories. [Two Ex-Jets Have Moved On, but Concussion Effects Linger]

• Former NFL players have sued the league for allegedly withholding information about the medical risks of concussions. The lawsuit which was filed by a group that includes former RBs Jamal Lewis and Dorsey Levens accused the NFL of hiding its knowledge of the long-term effects of concussions since the 1920s. [Ex-Players Sue NFL Over Concussions]

• Here we go again in the flurry of lawsuits filed against the NFL. [21 former players sue NFL over concussions]

• My thoughts & prayers go out to Texas A&M offensive lineman Joe Villavisencio who was recently killed in a car crash. The 22-year-old will be remembered more for his contributions off the field than on it. [Villavisencio was Model Student-Athlete]

• One of the NBA’s finest shooters & World Champion Peja Stojakovic has decided to retire. The three-time NBA All-Star explains why he decided to call it a career after 13 seasons: “When you start competing against your body more than you're preparing for the actual game, it's a wakeup call.” [Peja Stojakovic To Retire After 13 Years]

• Former NBA All-Star Brandon Roy has also decided to retire after six seasons due to multiple injuries to his knees. “My family and health are most important to me and in the end this decision was about them and my quality of life." [Blazers' Brandon Roy to Retire]

• Former NFL star Kris Jenkins gives a very open and frank portrayal of his 10-year career. He talks about the glory of playing a kid’s game, the physical toll, as well as the adjustment to life in the spotlight as a pro athlete. [Kris Jenkins’s View of Life in the N.F.L. Trenches]

Published 12-26-2011 © 2025 Access Athletes, LLC

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