TAMPA — This one was different, and NFL folks knew it.
This wasn’t Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown walking away from the game in his prime to pursue a film career, or 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis calling it quits due to an injured toe that wouldn’t heal well enough for him to play at his accustomed Pro Bowl level.
When 24-year-old linebacker Chris Borland left his cleats, pads and heart in San Francisco four months ago, his was a retirement forged on speculation: What would his quality of life be after football?
Well before he had concluded an outstanding rookie season, Borland found himself dwelling on the toll a violent game takes on its 1,696 participants.