BALTIMORE, MD — Former Baltimore Ravens fullback Le’Ron McClain took to Twitter over the weekend to plead for help dealing with head injury problems that he linked to his time in the National Football League. “My head is messed up,” McClain wrote in multiple tweets, some of which were in reaction to a player evaluated for a concussion in a Washington Redskins game.
The lingering damage suffered by athletes also drew fresh attention when Colts quarterback Andrew Luck’s announced on Aug. 24 that he has retired from pro football after seven seasons because of injuries. He said the past four years had been an “unceasing and unrelenting” cycle of injury, pain and rehab.
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During his seven NFL seasons, McClain played four years for the Ravens, McClain played for the Ravens, plus time with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers. His tweets seemed to begin Thursday in a reply about Washington Redskins player Jordan Reed being checked for a concussion. McClain at one point said that quarterbacks are treated with more care than players at other positions, and he criticized the slow pace and paperwork of the NFL process to pay out damages from the league’s $1 billion concussion settlement.
“I have to get my head checked,” McClain posted on Aug. 24. “Playing fullback since high school. Its takes too f—— much to do anything. My brain is f—— tired…. @NFL i need some help with this shyt. Dark times and its showing. F—— help me please!! They dont care I had to get lawyers man!”
In May a federal judge overseeing the NFL concussion settlement fired three of four lawyers serving as class counsel. The court also ordered players to be seen by medical expert within 150 miles of their home, which critics say will prevent athletes from receiving quality care and expert advice, ESPN reports.
The players’ lawsuits claim the NFL ignored the neurological risks of playing after concussions. During the first two years of the fund $500 million has been paid out, while another $160 million in awards is pending. ESPN says the plan offers retired players baseline testing and compensation of up to $5 million for illnesses including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and deaths involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
McClain condemned the slow pace of payments in a tweet on Aug. 24.
“Watch how fast they come to aid if I was som3 QB or anything but no I was f—ing fullback that did it all,” he wrote. “@NFL I need help and i need the process to speed the f— up Im about to crash out and its paperwork I dont wanna hear it. … Im out.”
As Twitter voiced concern for McClain, he replied: “Man had a moment but just know Imma fight this thing and block it like im blocking 60 Pwr on the goaline. We gonna score!!!! I got this.”
Later Sunday night he said his anxiety level had climbed. “Please just Pray for me,” McClean tweeted.