Life after the NFL: Super Bowl hero Joe Montana

[Linville]

Life after the NFL: Super Bowl hero Joe Montana can't run, struggles with other activities



[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65098)][/color]
Football legend Joe Montana will perform the coin toss for Super Bowl 50 at Levi's Stadium this weekend, then head off to a luxury suite to watch the game.

The role of spectator is one he's gotten used to  — and not just when it comes to NFL games. At 59, Montana says he is unable to take part in almost all of the physical activities he once enjoyed because of a multitude of physical problems that are a result of his 15 years in the league.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

“My whole family likes to live on the edge, so some of the things I regret that I can’t do with them,’’ the four-time Super Bowl champion told USA Today.
 “Like snowboarding. I fell like 50 times within 30 yards off the top of the ski lift. ... I love basketball. I can’t play basketball.
 I can shoot, but that’s about it. I can’t run up and down the court. My knee just gives out.

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65098)][color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.65098)][/color][/color]

“I tried a little bit of skiing, but unfortunately when you get weight on one ski under my left knee, it’s just not very strong. After my first back surgery, what kind of compounds things is my sciatic nerve has been damaged. So the muscles along my sciatic nerve into my left foot have been numb since ’86.’’

Montana said he’s unable to straighten his knee despite six surgeries to that area.

“They kept saying I’ll need a knee replacement when I can’t walk,’’ he said. “I can’t really run or do much with it.’’
And that’s just one of Montana’s many physical ailments these days.

He recently had elbow surgery; he’s had three neck fusions, and he thinks another one will be necessary soon; he has arthritis in his elbows, knees and hands; and there’s nerve damage in one eye that a doctor told him was from head trauma.

That’s just life after the NFL, Montana said.
“Unfortunately,’’ he said, “most of us leave this game with things that linger.’’

[JimboS]

Ok, You're Joe Montana. You are rich. You are famous. When you were winning your 4-5 Super Bowls you were in all the papers, the most famous quarterback/person there was. People would scream when you enter a room. Today at almost 60 you hurt. Would you change that for anything in the world? A lot of people here hurt probably that would gladly change places with him :-)

[Linville]

Gosh did you see all the past MVP of games ?

Seems like they all were prematurely aged in limping and various physical needs. A few weren't. But doing that for a living is very hard on the body, and is it worth it, dunno.

[JimboS]

You are right Linville, but I never hear any former football star say they regret playing the game. I admit I had the dream like all little boys. It is a brutal sport Fireplaces. I couldn't imagine what I would feel like getting hit at full force by 280 lbs of power every week for years.

[Zander]

Hell 280 lbs is a runt when it comes to linemen now, Jimbo. Many of those guys are going from about 320 lbs up to around 380 or so. The average weight of a NFL linemen is 312 lbs.  

Regarding another sport, I read that over  80% of retired professional boxers suffer some degree of brain damage.

[JimboS]

I had no idea they weighed that much average now @Zander. I believe you about boxers. Look at Muhammad Ali. They don't live long either I have heard.