Life...And Death, After Football

Last week, four-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion Dave Duerson took his own life, when he shot himself in the chest with a shot gun. Duerson who filed for bankruptcy in 2010, saw his multimillion dollar food business collapse, and went through a divorce that led to his ex-wife suing him for his Super Bowl Rings and NFL Man of the Year Trophy. Before shooting himself in the heart, Duerson's dying wish was for his brain to be examined for any damage it could have sustained on the football field; and just like that, all of the fines for helmet to helmet hits during the 2010-11 season got put into perspective. The tragic story of Dave Duerson's suicidal death can probably be credited to his descending life, but will always be attached to the undeniable brutality of professional football. I salute Dave Duerson's relentless battle, and hope that his dying wish will pave the way for a safer game than what we have come to know. There is life after football for our cherished athletes, and in this case, there is premature death.

JD