Bengals Guard Jacob Bell Abruptly Retires

Added on May 09, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

The aftermath of Junior Seau’s tragic suicide will likely be felt for years. The news sent shockwaves throughout the league as several current and former players expressed concern over the long-term effects of a career in football. One such player, Bengals guard Jacob Bell, has decided to walk away from the game before his health deteriorates to an unsafe level.

Bell, who inked a one-year free agent contract with Cincinnati a month ago, was very candid in his reasoning for retiring at age 31.

“There were a lot of factors that went into it for me,” Bell told the Post-Dispatch in a phone interview Tuesday night. “I’ve had a lot of fun playing. I’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve played in a lot of games. The reality is that for me it came down to risk and reward. I think you’ve always got to weigh that out. At some point, you’ve got to kind of figure out what you’re in the game for.”

The threat of concussions and other debilitating injuries that could leave lasting damage was a major factor in Bell’s decision.

“One of my biggest concerns when it comes to the game in general is my personal health. One thing that’s obviously on the minds of a lot of people lately is brain research and all the stuff that’s going on with that. One of the big things that I thought about when I was considering this is how much do I love the game? How much can they pay me to take away my health and my future and being able to be with my family and just have a healthy lifestyle?”

The old school ‘suck it up and be a man’ crowd will likely look at Bell with a frown, but more and more athletes would be wise to weigh their options before it’s too late. Seau joins an ever increasing list of ex-players whose lives were cut short by depression and brain issues.

Bell calls it quits after eight seasons with the Titans and Rams. He started 100 out of 109 career games.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch