The shock retirement of 49ers LB Chris Borland at age 24 has stirred up quite the conversation today about head trauma, the rigors of the NFL, the money and fame attached to them, and whether or not it’s all worth it. While that’s a conversation that will be had over the days, and let’s face it, years to come… it’s this pervasive attitude that isn’t going to help.
Former NFL on Fox analyst and current 49ers radio analyst Tim Ryan said that Borland quit on his team for walking away from the game in a rant chronicled by Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle.
49ers analyst Tim Ryan says he's pissed off about Borland's decision.
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) March 17, 2015
Ryan also said "more power to him, hope he has no regrets."
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) March 17, 2015
Tim Ryan said "Patrick Willis retired. Chris Borland quit."
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) March 17, 2015
Tim Ryan is also using the term "go out on your shield" about leaving football. That kind of stuff needs to stop.
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) March 17, 2015
That kind of dismissive, paleolithic thinking – that Borland is a quitter or a pansy or a fill-in-the-blank, is part of the reason why we got to this point in the first place. Furthermore, I’m not sure how it makes sense that Willis is allowed to walk away early and Borland isn’t in Ryan’s eyes. Regardless, to hear this kind of animosity towards Borland for making what had to be an agonizing decision is the kind of backwards thinking that is all too prevalent around the game.
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