Thurman Thomas Comments on Lingering Effects from Concussions

Hall of Fame Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas recently spoke out about how the effects of concussions have lingered into his retirement.

Thomas was serving as a keynote speaker this past Friday at the District School Board of Niagara’s International Concussion Summit. He talked for the first time publicly about his concussion issues and outlined his difficulties at the outset, per the Niagara Falls Review’s Ray Spiteri:

I don’t discuss it at home. I don’t really discuss it with my friends. It’s something that I’m really not comfortable talking about because I want to get more facts about it, I want to get more knowledgeable about it. …

When I started playing football as a little kid, the last thing on my mind was, ‘will I be able to walk when I’m 50? Will I be able to keep a train of thought when I’m 45? When I’m 50, will I suffer from uncontrollable mood swings? And even worse, will someday I be so depressed that I would take my own life?’

The 49-year-old explained how he was unfazed after suffering “a couple” concussions while playing college football and didn’t fault anyone. He suggested doctors and trainers did the best they could at the time with the knowledge they had.

Thomas recalled a game in which his quarterback, Jim Kelly, took significant punishment and resorted to calling the same play five …

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