Chris Borland surprised by the reaction to his retirement

On Thursday, Borland went on Good Morning America and discussed his decision for the first time since his announcement. The former linebacker and University of Wisconsin star hit on a litany of topics, including his future and the perceived future of the NFL.

“I’ve always been aware of the dangers, or thought I was,” Borland said. “In fall camp last year, I sustained a hit that was nothing out of the ordinary for a linebacker, a physical play. I just thought to myself after that, is this the route I want to go? How many times am I going to do this and for how long? What are the real consequences? So it triggered a change in thought for me. Subsequently I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that, no, it was not worth it for me personally.”

Borland believes the aforementioned hit was a concussion, although there was not a diagnosis. He went on to say his research found that even the best neurologists don’t have enough information on the subject of concussions and brain damage related to football, something which made him more uneasy.

Borland says he is surprised his decision has caused such a groundswell of opinion across the country.

“I didn’t know what to think,” Borland said. “Last week I spoke with a neurologist. We had a good conversation about a lot of things, and then I said ‘Is this a lightning rod issue? Is this going to gain a lot of attention? And he said, ‘No, you will be on the ticker at the bottom of ESPN one day.’ It has obviously gone further than that, which wasn’t my intent, and I’m not particularly interested in having in-depth conversations about it. However, while it is in the spotlight, I think there are enough former players who have suffered and future players whose health might be at risk, so it is important to talk about the information that is available.”

The retirement of such a young player with seemingly no injury took many by surprise both in and around the league. However, Borland says he has gained support from his teammates and others.

“It was difficult and I think they wish I was playing, some of them,” Borland said. “But they understand where I am coming from. They know the type of guy I am, that’s well-researched and I’m passionate about it. I have their support, guys I’ve played with and guys I have looked up to who played before me. The most meaningful thing is the former players who have struggled who have reached out, that has been really touching.”

Borland was asked how the game could be made safer, and offered up a few ideas.

“I think waiting is a good idea,” Borland said. “Brevity might be a good idea, playing a smaller amount of time. I think the game is inherently dangerous which isn’t all bad. We don’t need to be overly cautious but you should be smart.”

Borland closed the interview by saying the 49ers were terrific about the situation, providing him with support. Borland plans to return to school and pursue a career in academics or business.