“Players always say the football field is a safe haven, that you can go there and block everything else out. But what do you do when that’s gone and you have to deal with life? It can be a double-edged sword. I tell people all the time that you can retire from football. You can’t retire from living,” former Linebacker Derrick Brooks said about a player’s mindset prior to retirement. Football players begin to lose sight of the outside world. Playing football is all they know and when that’s over their lives begin to fall apart.

Nearly 60% of former National Football League (NFL) players are faced with financial issues after retirement, clearly making this the most prominent issue shown by ESPN studies. Players begin so young, making more money than they’ve ever had, that they spend it all, not saving a dime for after retirement.

Money can’t buy happiness; however, it’s an undeniably important part of life. Without the high income they had become so accustomed to having, players’ whole lives began to spin out of control.

The players are left with many debts owed for houses and cars that their current income can no longer afford. This leads to marriages and families being torn apart and the players enter a deep state of depression that some never overcome.

“I have witnessed plenty of former teammates and players’ comeback after some time in the NFL to live with their parents as they search for alternative ways to gather some income. These were friends of mine and it makes me sad to see them so down on their luck but they just couldn’t responsibly handle all the money they were given all at once,” said Ivan Rosales, head coach for Miami High.

Another inescapable entrapment of football is the severe amount of physical stress their bodies endure for the numerous years they played. Now they must pay for not dealing with these injuries during their career.

“I’ve been playing football ever since I could run and jump at the same time; I already feel the physical toll its taking on my body. I am constantly sore during football season and long afterwards. Nobody pushes me to keep playing but it’s what I do. I play football. And I plan to continue play long after college,” said Brandon Oliva, former tight end for the Pace Spartans.

“It’s a given that by the time you leave the game you have a very thick medical file,” said 3-time super bowler Shaun O’Hara.

Players are punished by these injuries after they leave the field. Many of the injuries lead to other symptoms, some more severe than others, such as constant headaches, loss of muscular control, and in some cases Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

In many cases this has led to former players suddenly going into a coma, having a heart attack, or committing suicide because they couldn’t take it anymore.  Forty-Eight percent of retired NFL players have stated that sudden severe pain was very common even after retairment.

It’s overwhelming living the rest of your life knowing that the injuries from your past are always lurking one step behind you. Many have put the blame on the NFL for not taking proper care of their players during their careers.

The NFL has tried, with good intentions, to help with the “88 plan.” The program gives retired players and their families $88,000 to help pay for the house and all the necessities for living. This shows they are aware of the economic issue and are attempting to fix it immediately.

The issue the NFL has yet to attend to is that of the injuries and the severe physical pain each player suffers through. Injuries are becoming a serious issue both on and off the field for the NFL and if they don’t solve them quickly there may be some serious repercussions – for both the players and the industry.