Byron Jones' Early Retirement
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A story about Byron Jones, an NFL player who retired early due to the physical toll of the sport, and the widespread use of pain medication in the NFL.
"I met Byron Jones who retired this year. He was one of the best cornerbacks in the league and retired at 30. He came into the league at 21-22 and made probably $80 million playing in the NFL. When he retired, he said something shocking - 'I can't run or jump anymore.'
At a dinner with NFL players, they all mentioned these pain reduction shots they get. They said it's like magic but also a curse. They explained that on Sunday you play, Monday you feel bad, Tuesday you feel like you were in a car accident. Your body feels so beaten up there's no way you think you can practice Thursday and play Sunday.
But they take these shots, and within an hour they're running again. You go from limping to being back to normal. But every time you do it, it shortens your career because it's terrible for your body. The underlying tissues aren't healing - you're just masking the pain. It's just part of the NFL culture - you have to play, so players get in the habit of taking these shots."
Shaan Puri
Host of MFM
Shaan Puri is the Chairman and Co-Founder of The Milk Road. He previously worked at Twitch as a Senior Director of Product, Mobile Gaming, and Emerging Markets. He also attended Duke University.