The Baltimore Ravens' star Ed Reed is a top authority on hard hits in the NFL. It seems only fitting that he would speak about the dangers football players face day in and day out, but he turned a few heads when he brought deceased linebacker Junior Seau into the discussion.
When Reed was asked about the former NFL star this morning at Super Bowl Media Day, he replied "Did he sign up for it? Yeah, he signed up for it," according to ESPN. Seau's family recently filed a lawsuit against the NFL after Seau was found dead in his home last May after shooting himself in the chest. Seau reportedly suffered from brain damage due to his years of aggressive play on the football field.
Although Reed spared sympathy in his blunt response concerning Seau's death, he affirmed that NFL players are well aware of the danger they put themselves in and the detrimental effects of concussions. "I feel effects from it. Some days, I wake up and I'm like, 'Where did my memory go,'" Reed said. "But I signed up for it."
Reed wasn't the only Ravens player at media day to comment on the issue. Ravens safety Bernard Pollard's response mimicked Reed's. "I play this game and I understand it," Pollard said.
Pollard has recently made statements that the NFL won't exist in 30 years due to new discoveries regarding the dangers of football. He also noted that he and his wife are unsure if they want their 4-year-old son to play football. "For me growing up, to see where the game has gone from then to now... Guys are getting bigger, stronger, faster. It's not the equipment."
According to CNN, the NFL has recently negotiated a deal to provide Harvard $100 million over 10 years to study players' injuries and illnesses. The study will monitor players' throughout their entire lives, not just their careers.
However, according to Reed, there's only one thing the NFL can do to prevent concussions and long-term brain damage that have affected players like Seau: "I've had concussions before and I know guys are going to have concussions. If you want to stop it, stop the game."