49ers are proper f*cked

[Ellsworth]

Borland just retired after 1 season.

Wow

Probably could trade kiko to them for kaepernik and a 1 right now. Kidding but they're ripe for the picking.

[Drama Queen]

Borland's case is different, but I think we are going to see a lot more players retire early. With the high salaries, guys are going to cash out early. Ten to twenty million earned and then BOOM, see ya,

[TRENT]

I was surprised Jason Worilds retired

must be some nagging Injury.

[Sect 236]

He retired to join the Jehovah's Witnesses.

[Melchior]

Borland just retired after 1 season.

Wow

Probably could trade kiko to them for kaepernik and a 1 right now. Kidding but they're ripe for the picking.

Trade them Ryans for a pick.

[TRENT]

Really

He retired to join the Jehovah's Witnesses.

this is not a Jurrrrrruuuhhh!

wow what a waste of youth Talent and all the work it takes to get to that level,,I Mean he will have decades to walk from door to door after he retires,,

[Ellsworth]

I would try if I was chip.

[PackWest]

Borland's case is different, but I think we are going to see a lot more players retire early. With the high salaries, guys are going to cash out early. Ten to twenty million earned and then BOOM, see ya,

Yup. back in the 60's guys left the game because it didn't pay, now they will leave the game because it did pay

NFL is losing players from both ends of the pipeline, many kids/Mom's opting out before they even get to high school. One of the local HS had 70+ kids every year for freshman football. The last 2 seasons, they got 31 and 33- less than half

That's why the NFL will become basketball on grass, they have no other viable choice to keep the money flowing

[iowaigglefan]

Trade them Ryans for a pick.

Wonder if they would do it get something lose the cap hit

[Melchior]

Yup. back in the 60's guys left the game because it didn't pay, now they will leave the game because it did pay

NFL is losing players from both ends of the pipeline, many kids/Mom's opting out before they even get to high school. One of the local HS had 70+ kids every year for freshman football. The last 2 seasons, they got 31 and 33- less than half

That's why the NFL will become basketball on grass, they have no other viable choice to keep the money flowing

Anecdotal. For the handful of guys who have retired over this, there are hundreds of players signed every year, just waiting to bash their brains in.

[wynnron123]

That's why the NFL will become basketball on grass, they have no other viable choice to keep the money flowing

The NFL sure are changing the rules to the best they can for it to happen. NFL Flag Football may start by 2020

[PackWest]

Its way more than anecdotal
Even the NFL admits the youth tackle leagues are struggling
And this piece from Siefert talks about how it will change along economic lines
"Poor" kids will be the source of NFL players going forward- those with other options will keep their brains intact

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...l-demographics

These very real trends and have caught the NFL's attention
And how did the League of Denial respond to Borlands retirement ? By issuing a statement saying: Football has never been safer than it is right now

More here:
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/...-causal-factor

"The nation's largest youth football program, Pop Warner, saw participation drop 9.5 percent between 2010-12, a sign that the concussion crisis that began in the NFL is having a dramatic impact at the lowest rungs of the sport". In our locale, they went from 3 teams to 1 in the 13-14 yr old class of Pop Warner

It just means the NFL as we knew it is dying, it will be replaced with basketball on grass and the fantasy fans and international fans won't know the difference. Just score lots of points and give me a decent WiFi connection

That's why the NFL covets London, 'cause they know they will lose a certain number of old time fans who grew up with the old NFL.