Bruce Smith admits to dealing with daily pain, memory loss
Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith admitted during Jim Kelly's annual golf outing Monday that he, like so many other former players, is feeling the physical ramifications from his time in the NFL.
The 52-year-old played in 299 games during his 19 seasons in the league, and now is faced with the prospect of daily pain, despite working out five times a week and seemingly being in outstanding physical shape for his age.
"There's not a day that goes by that I'm not in pain," Smith said, according to Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News. "Multiple joints and things that I experience on a daily basis. It can be very frustrating sometimes and painful, but I'm very blessed."
While Smith expressed his gratitude for being able to play professional football for nearly two decades, he admitted that he experiences issues with memory loss.
"I forget a lot of things sometimes," Smith said. "I'm not one to sit here and complain. While I did not know the severity of what continuous head traumas could do to an individual and the mind and so forth, I'm not going to sit here and complain. I'm very blessed to be standing here."
While concussions, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and other potential long-term health issues caused by playing football are becoming arguably the biggest threat to the future of the sport, Smith is uncertain whether the true health dangers of football will ever completely be revealed.
"For some reason or another, I don’t think we’ll ever get to that," Smith said. "But obviously there’s some light that can be shed on the subject. But for reasons that may be too sensitive, for reasons that may be too damaging, we won’t ever get to that point. However, I do think they’re taking steps to move in the right direction in the protection of players and future players in the present time. But there are some guys who are suffering that we need to make sure are taken care of."
Smith will have his No. 78 retired in a ceremony during the Buffalo Bills' season-opener.