An ESPN study revealed that retired NFL players misuse painkillers at a rate of 4-to-1 compared to the general public.
Key findings:
• 52 percent of the retired players said they used prescription pain medication during their playing days. Of those, 71 percent said they misused the drugs then, and 15 percent of the misusers acknowledged misusing the medication within the past 30 days.
• Those who misused prescription painkillers while playing were three times more likely to misuse the drugs today than those who used the pills as prescribed while playing.
• 63 percent of the retired players who used prescription pain pills while playing obtained the medications from a nonmedical source: a teammate, coach, trainer, family member, dealer or the Internet.
It’s not just former players either. Patriots’ OT Nick Kaczur was found with 202 OxyContin pills after being stopped for speeding in 2008. He apparently cut a deal with the DEA in order to bust his dealer but court documents state that Kaczur bought roughly 100 OxyContin pills every three or four days.
You read studies like these and it makes you wonder why any player, current or former, would criticize Jay Cutler for not toughing it out in the NFC title game after he tore his MCL. Fans are always quick to talk about how football is a man’s game and you have to play hurt, which is true. But it’s easy to criticize someone from your home or computer desk when it’s not your body. With that in mind, it was shocking to hear other players throw one of their own under the bus when they know what it takes just to get out of bed following a game.
The sad part is, I don’t know what can be done. Prevention is the best way to fight off disease, pain and/or injury, but how can you prevent players from getting hurt in a game as violent as football? It’s seemingly impossible.
