Ex-NFL Star Says He Wouldn’t Play Football If He Could Go Back

Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El had some harsh but honest words on Tuesday, saying that he if he could go back, he wouldn't play football.

The following comes from the PIttsburgh Post-Gazette

“If I could go back, I wouldn’t (play),” he said. “I would play baseball. I got drafted by the Cubs in the 14th round, but I didn’t play baseball because of my parents. They made me go to school. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game of football. But, right now, I could still be playing baseball.”

Randle El also said that the game is so violent that no amount of rule changes or equipment changes will make it safer.

“The kids are getting bigger and faster, so the concussions, the severe spinal cord injuries, are only going to get worse,” he said. “It’s a tough pill to swallow because I love the game of football. But I tell parents, you can have the right helmet, the perfect pads on, and still end up with a paraplegic kid.

“There’s no correcting it. There’s no helmet that’s going to correct it. There’s no teaching that’s going to correct it. It just comes down to it’s a physically violent game. Football players are in a car wreck every week.”

Randle El played nine years in the NFL, five with the Steelers and four with the Redskins. He caught 15 touchdown passes in his career.