Concussion has come to the forefront of the sporting world in recent years. From the huge legal settlements in the NFL to the unfortunate death in Northern Ireland of teenager Ben Robinson, concussion has been a bigger focus when a sportsperson receives a blow to the head. Awareness has increased, and stand down periods are enforced, as Irish rugby has seen with Johnny Sexton's three months out from Racing Metro.
Now it has caused a young star in the NFL to retire. Not from concussion, but because of the fear of concussion. Chris Borland may not be a household name, but he was on his way to becoming a highly successful NFL player. The 24 year old spent less than 12 months in the league, after being drafted in the 3rd round by the San Francisco 49ers last season.
Borland's play for San Francisco was one of the positives in an otherwise forgettably season, and that he was in contention for the Defensive Rookie Of The Year award underlines his credentials. The rookie lead the team in tackles and was expected to fill in after legendary linebacker Patrick Willis also retired early at the age of 30.
But Borland has decided that he didn't want to risk his future health after three concussions in his lifetime - two in high school, and another that he tried to hide while attempting to make the 49ers roster last summer.
I just thought to myself, 'What am I doing? Is this how I'm going to live my adult life, banging my head, especially with what I've learned and knew about the dangers? I just honestly want to do what's best for my health. From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk.
Borland has forsaken financial security in his future to take care of his health, it will be interesting to see if any of the high profile cases in rugby will follow. After the harrowing accounts from Shontayne Hape last year, and the incidents with Christophe Kramer, Florian Fritz and George North brought a harsh light on concussion in rugby and football.
There will be even more concern towards players who suffer repeated concussions in a short space of time, like Luke Marshall (five in less than two years) or Johnny Sexton (four in a year), while sportspeople are being shown to walk away from the game to avoid the long term health problems associated with concussion.
What is sure is that Borland has made a ballsy decision, and he may have burned a trail for others in sport to follow. It's not an easy decision, and definitely isn't the cowardly way out.
