LeCharles Bentley believes that the Cleveland Browns are responsible for causing him to have to fight for his life. In 2006, Bentley tore the patellar tendon in his left knee. While rehabbing at the Browns’ facility, Bentley contracted a staph infection that ate away at his tendon.
Bentley was forced to undergo two surgeries to remove the infection that became so severe that doctors considered amputating his leg. After the surgeries, Bently was forced to retire.
From 2006–08, six Browns players contracted a staph infection while at the team’s facility in Berea, Ohio.
But the dangers of playing in the NFL go beyond catching staph infections. The physical strains that NFL players go through during their playing days usually have long-term effects. According to a study commissioned by the NFL, former football players are 19 times more likely to experience memory-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s than other men between the ages of 30 to 49.
There was also a study done by the University of North Carolina that concluded that retired players who experienced three or more concussions during their playing days have a high rate of depression. Most NFL players are forced to retire by the age of 30. Because of the nature of the sport, some players will live with football-related injuries until they die. Now that Bentley has chosen to sue his former team for putting his life in danger, should other retired players who face long-term health issues because of injuries do the same? –amir shaw
