Former New York Jets running back Thomas Jones was one of the toughest runners in the NFL during his playing career, but since retiring, he has had time to think about what that physicality may do to him in the future.
According to ESPN.com, Jones plans to donate his brain upon his death to the Sports Legacy Institute to be studied for evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Of 34 neural tissue samples from NFL players, 33 had evidence of CTE.
"Honestly, like I couldn't give you a number because you just play with them," Jones said. "You can't know; nobody does. I think the guys counting the concussions were the ones that got knocked out."
According to report, Sports Legacy Institute won't confirm individual donations, but a spokesperson said that more than 600 living athletes have decided to donate their brains to be studied. Jones said that he was concerned about how many concussions he has sustained in the past and that study of his brain could help players in the future. He said he has had a number of "baby concussions" during his career, including in high school, college and the NFL.
"It's like taking a fresh, ripe apple and tapping it with your thumb over and over again," Jones said.
Jones is currently at work on a documentary series, "The NFL: The Gift or the Curse?" His production company Independently Major Entertainment Films will put out six episodes and will focus on concussions and suicide. For the project Jones interviewed Ann McKee, co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University and co-director Chris Nowinski about the issue. He decided to make his donation after conducting interviews for the project.
Jones spoke to former defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, who was drafted by the Dolphins in 2000.
"Somebody might tell me their name; I don't remember it right away," Ogunleye said. "Now I kind of laugh it off but when stuff like that happens, I'll be like, 'Damn, I hope these concussions don't come back to haunt us in the end.' And if they do, I just pray someone is there to help me through the tough times that may come."
Head injuries and concussions have become a major talking point in the NFL in recent years. The league has tried to limit the violence on the field and the number of helmet-to-helmet hits, using more flags and penalties from referees as well as fines. Both Dave Duerson and Junior Seau committed suicide after dealing with CTE issues.
"His suicide, you see it on TV and it's just news," Jones said. "But to us, it's more than that."
The news came out recently that Seau, the former San Diego Chargers linebacker who committed suicide in May, suffered from chronic brain damage according to five brain specialists. The doctors concluded that Seau suffered from the type of chronic damage that also has been found in dozens of deceased former players.
"The fans look at it as money," Jones said, "but once you've bought everything you want, you realize there is more you want out of life."
Seau's widow and son spoke in an interview with ESPN and claimed that researchers at the National Institutes of Health informed them of the diagnosis after completing a thorough examination of Seau's brain.
"I think it's important for everyone to know that Junior did indeed suffer from CTE," Gina Seau said, according to ESPN.com. "It's important that we take steps to help these players. We certainly don't want to see anything like this happen again to any of our athletes."
According to the report, the family was told that Seau's disease was a result of "a lot of head-to-head collisions over the course of 20 years of playing in the NFL. And that it gradually, you know, developed the deterioration of his brain and his ability to think logically."
Seau was a popular athlete in the San Diego area following his retirement after spending 13 of his 20 year career in the city with the Chargers. Seau put up Hall of Fame-like numbers during his career with the Chargers and helped the team make its first and only Super Bowl appearance in 1994. Seau was a consistently healthy player throughout his career, playing in at least 14 games in 13 out of his first 14 seasons in the NFL.
The linebacker spent time with the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots following his run with the Chargers, retiring in 2009 after playing in seven games for the Patriots. Seau recorded over 100 tackles in eight seasons with San Diego and had a career-high 155 tackles in 1994. Seau had 56.5 sacks and 18 interceptions during his career and was named to 12 Pro Bowls throughout his career.
The NFL in a statement said the NIH's "finding underscores the recognized need for additional research to accelerate a fuller understanding of CTE."
Jones was one of the most productive running backs in football for a number of years, gaining over 1,100 yards in five straight seasons. He played for the Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. His best seasons came with the Bears and the Jets, including in 2009 when he rushed for 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns. Since getting rid of Jones, the Jets have been unable to run the ball successfully on a consistent basis.
Jones was a bruising runner who went in between the tackles and scored 68 touchdowns during the course of his 12-year career. He played in 16 games eight times and played in at least 14 games in three other seasons. During a stretch from 2004 to 2010, Jones received no less than 240 carries in any season, a heavy workload for a running back.
As a very durable running back, Jones was able to play for a long period of time and did not miss many games due to injury. While that was good for Jones while he played, things might come back to him later on due to the amount of carries and hits he took during the course of his career. Jones is setting an example by embracing the science of everything involved and could be a great benefit to players in the future with his pledge to donate his brain.