Bengals Bell Retires, Cites Fear Of Deteriorating Health
(WSCR) At the age of 31, after eight seasons in the NFL, Bengals guard Jacob Bell is calling it a career.
Believe it or not, Bell is retiring for the exact opposite reason most retire. While most stop playing in the NFL because their bodies simply won't allow them to endure the beating, Bell is walking away from the game while he can still walk.
"There were a lot of factors that went into it for me," Bell told the Post-Dispatch in a phone interview Tuesday night. "I've had a lot of fun playing. I've seen a lot of things. I've played in a lot of games. The reality is that for me it came down to risk and reward. I think you've always got to weigh that out. At some point, you've got to kind of figure out what you're in the game for.
"One of my biggest concerns when it comes to the game in general is my personal health. One thing that's obviously on the minds of a lot of people lately is brain research and all the stuff that's going on with that. One of the big things that I thought about when I was considering this is how much do I love the game? How much can they pay me to take away my health and my future and being able to be with my family and just have a healthy lifestyle?"
