The Courage of His Convictions

Chris Borland (sfgate.com photo)

24-year-old 49er linebacker Chris Borland made the national news when he retired from professional football yesterday. His worries about the long-range effects of repetitive head trauma overrode the benefits of a contract that would have paid him $2.32 million over the next three years, not to mention the fame of being the starting linebacker following Patrick Willis' retirement last week.

Chris Borland has generally received praise for assessing imperfect data in light of his priorities, then making a rational cost-benefit choice. Undoubtedly the fact that he came from a well-off family and has the smarts and finances to pursue a masters degree played a part in his decision.

Neurologists monitor Stanford
football players with high-tech
mouth guards (ktvu.com photo)

Research by Stanford University, though in its early stages, buttresses Chris Borland's analysis.

What happens when you shake the brain like a snow globe? Though no one knows for sure, a prevailing theory is that the brain's connective cables, or axons, get stretched to the point where they may fray or break. If enough of these wires are damaged, the resulting loss of connectivity may cause the symptoms of concussion, explains Michael Zeineh, assistant professor of radiology. Sub-concussive events may not injure enough axons at the same time to cause overt symptoms, but with hundreds or thousands of repeated blows to the head, the cumulative damage may prove to be significant.

Gerald Grant, associate professor of neurosurgery and chief of pediatric neurosurgery, treats concussed patients at Stanford and works with [bioengineering Professor David] Camarillo, providing neurocognitive testing of athletes. He can confirm that some patients never fully recover from one or more concussions: "They're never the same. Their personality is different. Their lives are totally changed."

We are disappointed that Chris Borland won't be seen in a 49er uniform, but we have to admire him for the courage of his convictions.