In a first-person piece written this month, Monroe said he won’t allow his son to play football, a sport that the offensive lineman participated in for nearly his entire life. His reasons for not allowing his son to play are similar reasons as to why he retired.
Monroe, via The Cannabist:
STEELE: Newton foolishly fails to lobby for his own health
However, living with headaches that are eerily similar to my last concussion is a great reminder and gives me more than enough reason to say, “No, son. I cannot knowingly allow you to destroy your brain.” This decision hurts my heart, but it is the right one until we can establish proper protections for football players’ heads.
Monroe mentioned comments made by Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell regarding player safety. He said both comments stuck out to him because of how much he disagreed with them.
“It fascinates me that in a league predicated on intelligence, supreme toughness and swagger that fear and denial in health care are perpetuated,” Monroe writes.
The former Ravens and Jaguars offensive lineman has been a major advocate of using marijuana as a pain remedy in the NFL. The drug is currently banned by the league.
