football

Hall of Famer Dorsett Upbeat in Fight Against Brain Disorder

College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett says he wouldn't discourage young players from taking up the game even as he battles brain disease.

The 1976 Heisman Trophy winner while playing at Pittsburgh was diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy within the last year. The 61-year-old said Saturday his situation is "frustrating" but that his goal is to "stay in the fight, fight as long as I can and if I can beat it, beat it."

Dorsett, speaking before the Panthers played No. 8 Notre Dame, said he has good days and bad days but remains upbeat. He refuses to place blame on the game itself, saying there are many football players who enjoyed long careers and never dealt with repetitive head trauma issues. He added if he had a child wanting to play today he would "be right there behind him 100 percent."

The retired running back for the Dallas Cowboys was one of more than 5,000 former players suing the National Football League, claiming the NFL pressured them to play with concussions and other injuries and then failed to help them pay for health care in retirement to deal with those injuries.

Dorsett traces several health problems to concussions during a career that lasted from 1977-88.

The league settled a class action suit with retired players earlier this year after a federal judge gave final approval of the settlement terms.

Dorsett opted out of the settlement, joining one percent of eligible plaintiffs that will preserve the right to continue suing the league for injuries related to their concussions.

“Keeping my options open,” Dorsett told the Dallas News in 2014. “Just not doing it with everyone else. My case is my case. We don’t all suffer or have experienced the same things.”

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us