Former 49ers linebacker Chris Borland has been widely supported for his decision to walk away from the NFL after a year because of long-term health concerns.
But when he talks to people, he hears a common refrain, wondering how he could step away from NFL paychecks.
“That has been the biggest surprise for me,” Borland said, via Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “People can’t get over the money.
“That’s all they think about. But your health is a little more important.”
Borland volunteered to hand back three-fourths of his signing bonus, or $463,077 from the $2.3 million deal he signed.
“I think people were surprised,” he said. “But I signed a contract. I was living by the contract.”
Borland suffered a concussion during his rookie training camp with the 49ers but didn’t report it, but as time went on, that began to weigh on him.
“Just a combination of my own experience, along with a lot of data that is out there regarding long-term health effects of head injuries,” he said of leaving. “And I play a position and a style of play where I was susceptible to the worst of it.
“I played a physical brand of football and played through some things where it makes sense for me.”
Borland said he’s still exploring “a few pretty decent options,” but wasn’t in a hurry to begin his next career. As with other calls, he seems willing to wait to make the right one at the right time.