“Don’t want to get concussed, don’t play.” In a nutshell, that’s how Bears LB Brian Urlacher looks at the current outpouring of concern over football-related brain injuries in general, or perhaps the fate of concussed Chicago QB Jay Cutler in particular. With quotes collected by the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Briggs Thursday, Urlacher seems to think the league emphasis on blows to the head, well, blows.
Urlacher said he’s not worried about his future and brain injuries and says he’s suffered only one major concussion, in 2003 at Denver when he missed “a couple plays.”
“I think they shouldn’t allow cut blocks because our knees are important to us, too,” Urlacher said. “I know concussions are a big deal, too, but I think cut blocks are a big deal but that seems to be OK with the NFL so they’re not too concerned about safety. They’re concerned about long-term concussions, but immediately they are not concerned about your knees or your ankles or anything like that. I think that should be an issue.
“Concussions are taking care of themselves. It’s a big deal to everyone because of all of the older players coming back and saying they’re all messed up now. That’s definitely an issue but I think the cut blocks need to be a big issue as well.”
From Urlacher’s standpoint, knee injuries caused by cut blocks are a bigger deal than concussions.
“Huge because a knee injury can put you out for a season,” he said. “A concussion you may miss a game or two. Huge difference.”