Former NFL star Sam Shields admitted he regrets playing in the league as the former cornerback claimed the impact of concussions over his career has left his brain ‘mushed’.
The cornerback played eight seasons in the league after going undrafted in 2010 and even won the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. However, Shields missed almost 14 months struggling with concussions as he sat out the entire 2017 season after playing in just one match in 2016.
He returned to action with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 but it would prove to be the final season of his career. Shields was named to the Pro Bowl in 2014 while he snagged 19 interceptions across his eight year career.
Since retiring, Shields has revealed he still suffers from concussion symptoms, including frequent headaches, lack of appetite and sleep problems. The issues he currently deals with mean Shields regrets his NFL career - and would not play if he had the opportunity to do it all over again.
When asked if he would play again while on Dan Le Batard's South Beach Sessions podcast, Shields said: “No. I'd be going to school, trying to work for home improvement. I'd be trying to learn how to build a house.”
Shields also lamented the lack of appropriate support from the Packers organisation during the 14 months he was away from the sport due to concussion protocol. He claimed: “[The Packers] didn't really put much effort into checking to see if this dude is alright. They just wondered: ‘Is Sam going to play this week? He's not playing? Oh, he's got to go.’”
The concussion protocol in the NFL has been heavily scrutinised in recent weeks after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a horrific head injury which sparked wide controversy.
In Week Four, the 24-year-old suffered a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals just days after taking a scary hit against the Buffalo Bills.
Soon after, the NFL and NFLPA announced they would review the concussion protocol, with a new rule being implemented. The medicine consultant who cleared Tagovailoa following a check against the Bills was also fired.
