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00:00It's crazy what that dementia and Alzheimer's and CTE has done to people. It's scary.
00:07Well, it's troubling to me sometimes to see teammates.
00:13Of course.
00:14That you notice.
00:16Slipping.
00:17A little bit, yeah. So, that's why it's so important to me to bring awareness to what we're trying to accomplish here.
00:26Finding solutions that reduce...
00:29There's actually studies, clinical trials right now, that are promising that would help reduce the inflammation.
00:41That is one of the reasons that they're so negatively impacted.
00:46Inflammation is really the key.
00:48So, let me ask you. The NFL talked this year, just this week, Adele talked about the concussions were down 17%.
00:56And that's something that they're excited about, that they've reduced the number of concussions.
01:02But I remember a time when the league was more grateful that they got out of a lawsuit that was going to be worth $10 billion to the players that had CTE, when they only had to give them $700 million.
01:13The NHL doesn't even acknowledge anything such as a brain injury or a concussion or CTE.
01:21Batman won't even talk about it because he doesn't want to get sued.
01:24What is it... I'm going to be frank with you.
01:26What is it like for them to have you or anyone else walking around here talking about CTE?
01:32It's like a dirty word to them, isn't it?
01:34They don't want to talk about it.
01:35Well, I'm certainly not going to re-litigate what transpired before.
01:39Fair enough.
01:40But you know what I'm talking about.
01:42Of course.
01:43I know that they're headed in the right direction.
01:45They're taking steps and they're taking it seriously.
01:48I mean, if we were to go back by the very definition of the evolution of the helmet...
01:56Right.
01:57They knew something obviously was wrong at the time.
02:00Right.
02:01So, you know, they went from, what, leather helmets to, I don't know, suspension?
02:05To where it is now.
02:06Suspension to, I think, I had square cushions in the helmet, I think, when I played.
02:12Right.
02:13I don't know what they have now.
02:14So, they're certainly headed in the right direction.
02:16Did you have a bunch of concussions?
02:17I had two.
02:18I had two concussions.
02:19One in college and one in...
02:20That's pretty good.
02:21So, USC and one with the Raiders.
02:23Yes.
02:24So, yeah.
02:25Since I was 10 years old.
02:26And that's amazing.
02:27Until I was 37.
02:28So, yes.
02:29That's pretty...
02:30That's amazing with how many hits you took.
02:32Absolutely.
02:33And you know what?
02:34I got to tell you.
02:35So, I saw you walk up here and you're, you know...
02:38Other than my back.
02:39You have a bad back.
02:40But you walked up here.
02:41You looked to me like very normal.
02:43I saw others.
02:45I know several guys.
02:46I've been doing this 40 years.
02:48I saw guys today walking through here who can't even walk.
02:50They're limping so bad they look like they have broken legs.
02:53Yeah.
02:54I'm...
02:55The injuries you guys get are crazy.
02:56In a lot of regards.
02:57Playing 16 years at the running back position...
02:59Is insanity.
03:01And to not have a knee surgery or hip or anything like that.
03:06How is that possible?
03:08It's possible.
03:10But you're lucky and blessed.
03:13That's basically it.
03:15So, you got me...
03:16It certainly takes a physical toll on you.
03:18So, you got me by 4 years.
03:20Okay?
03:21And I still play basketball 6 days a week.
03:23I can't believe that you just told me that.
03:25That you got out of that league without having surgeries on your knees and stuff.
03:28That is crazy.
03:29Yes.
03:30Because I've had 14 surgeries.
03:31I had open heart surgery.
03:32Wow.
03:33And I'm 4 years younger than you.
03:35But listen.
03:36I think it's great what you're doing for players and your colleagues, your peers.
03:41And with Emory.
03:42Great school in Atlanta.
03:43Nice job.
03:44Thank you for coming on.