The future of Lions running back Jahvid Best remains uncertain, as Best has still not been cleared to return to the field, a year and a half after the latest of his multiple concussions. But Lions receiver Nate Burleson is certain what he’d do if he were in Best’s position.
Burleson said on NFL Total Access that he urged Best to retire, saying Best has reached the point where the risks outweigh the rewards.
“I just told him, ‘Honestly I’d rather see you healthy at 65 than healthy at 25,’” Burleson said. “I just told him that if it was me I would shut it down. You’ve got so much more life to live, and even though I would love to have you on the field, I don’t want it to risk anything that has to do with your brain or possibly your post career.”
Best hasn’t made any final decisions, but Burleson seems to think Best’s career is over.
“The reason I’m talking in past tense is because he’s going through a different type of concussion,” Burleson said of Best. “He didn’t have a ton of them, but the ones that he did have they were really powerful.”
Burleson raved about Best’s talent, but from all indications, Best is never going to put that talent to use on a football field again.