Former Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe says his decision to retire is about the future, not the present.
“I’m only 29 and I still have the physical ability to play at a very high level, so I know that my decision to retire may be puzzling to some. But I am thinking of my family first right now — and my health and my future,” Monroe writes in the Players’ Tribune. “The last 18 years have been full of traumatic injuries to both my head and my body. I’m not complaining, just stating a fact. Has the damage to my brain already been done? Do I have CTE? I hope I don’t, but over 90% of the brains of former NFL players that have been examined showed signs of the disease. I am terrified.”
It’s fair to note that Monroe only came to this decision, however, after the Ravens released him. If the Ravens had been willing to pay him the $6.5 million his contract called for -- or if some other team had stepped up with a comparable offer -- he would likely continue playing.
Monroe says he will continue to advocate for medical marijuana, and particularly for overturning the NFL’s ban on marijuana, which Monroe believes would help players deal with injuries. Monroe felt that his stance on marijuana hurt his relationship with the Ravens, but now he’s free to say what he wants, as he’s done with the NFL.
