04/25/24
December 01, 2009
Merril Hoge: Concussion Nearly Killed Me in Locker Room: During ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown this week, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Merril Hoge described how he nearly died in the locker room after suffering a second concussion in five weeks. "I flat-lined. My heart stopped," he said. "I was in ICU for two days, but it was after that I was basically trapped in my home for six weeks. You could not take me around the block, and I would not be able to find my way home because I did not have the cognitive skills. I had to learn how to read again."
Interesting...as a Steeler fan I knew about him having to retire early due to concussions, but never had any clue it was life or death like this.
posted by bdaddy at 07:35 PM on December 01, 2009
The shocking bit to me is that Merril Hoge learned to read. Twice.
posted by yerfatma at 09:30 AM on December 02, 2009
Finally, the NFL is paying attention to this. Then, you get knuckleheads like Hines Ward questioning the toughness of Roethlisberger because he was forced to sit out with a concussion. Getting the NFL coaches and trainers to take these things seriously is not the only obstacle.