Luke Kuechly retired from the NFL last week with a heartwarming social media post, setting off surprise from fans and media that Kuechly was walking away after “only” eight NFL seasons. As one of the league’s greatest inside linebackers, Kuechly both delivered and received significant physical punishment. In his deliberations about whether to return for a ninth season, my sense is that punishment, both to his body and brain, weighed heavily.
Kuechly was one of the first well-known players that can I recall not only sitting out a game after a concussion, but sitting out multiple games with a concussion.