The Northwest Herald
Sunday, March 26, 2006
It was good to see Jerry Azumah looking fit and sounding optimistic about the future when he announced his retirement from the Bears on Thursday.
You hope he stays that way.
You hope Azumah, 28, got out before moving too far down the road toward a lifetime of physical agony and emotional depression.
That is the plight of a lot of retired NFL players, who pay a steep price for their years in the limelight.
"I decided it was more important," Azumah said, "to be able to spend quality time with my friends and family and function normally when I'm 45 than to make a lot more money or even win a Super Bowl ring."
Functioning normally, the way most of you reading this are able to function, is a foreign concept to large numbers of retired pro football players.
More than half of the 500 retired players who responded to a recent survey by the NFL Players Association said they suffered from arthritis in their post-playing days. Nearly half had neck, back and vertebrae problems. Depression or irritability, headaches, and weakness in the arms, hands or legs also were common.
The NFLPA's director of benefits, Miki Yaras-Davis, said players "live a normal lifespan. But in a lot of cases, their latter years are not comfortable [physically]."
Even though he got out when he did, Azumah might not be able to avoid the affliction that came up most frequently in the NFLPA survey. He already has shown signs of developing degenerative arthritis in his hip, which required arthroscopic surgery last August and more invasive surgery after the season.
Dr. James Andrews, a renowned orthopedic surgeon in Birmingham. Ala., told ESPN.com arthritis in the hips, knees or spines is among the most painful chronic conditions a person can have.
"What you end up with is a bunch of ex-NFL players in their 40s and 50s who shouldn't have arthritis, but [who] have degenerated knees and need total replacement done at an early age," Andres said.
At least Azumah's surgery happened when he technically was an active player, which meant he did not have to worry about paying for it. If he needs another procedure, say, a decade from now, he will not be as lucky.
Retired players receive group medical insurance at no cost from the NFLPA, but only for five years. If their medical problems linger beyond that, they can get stuck with hospital bills in the five-figure range if they need hip- or knee-replacement surgery.
Even for players who made millions, like Azumah did, the costs take a significant financial toll as the surgeries and bills pile up over the years. For someone who played only two or three seasons at the minimum salary (as of 2005) of $450,000, medical expenses can be a complete drain of resources.
Serious football injuries, then, are life-changing moments, and they can happen abruptly and without warning. The only way players control their destiny is by choosing not to play.
That is what Azumah did. He made the right choice.
He might not know for years whether he made it in time.
* Nick Hut is a sportswriter for the Northwest Herald. He can be reached via e-mail at nhut@nwherald.com.
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