Former New York Jet Wayne Chrebet stopped keeping track of his concussions when they hit double digits. And then one ended his pro football career.
The Wall Street Journal Monday offered an inspiring profile of Chrebet, who is now a financial adviser with Morgan Stanley in Red Bank, N.J. The story painted Chrebet as an underdog, ”a small guy from a small school,” who played well for the Jets and put himself in “the path of 225-pound behemoths.”
He suffered at least six documented concussions, and many undocumented ones. ”A lot, a lot, a lot,” Chrebet told The Journal.
But in November 2005, Chrebret had his career-ending concussion. In a game against the San Diego Chargers, Chrebret was tackled. His helmet crashed on the turf. Chrebet told The Journal that he remembered “a flash of white light, a few muddled voices, then nothing else.”
Today Chrebet doesn’t remember getting tackled, coming off the field or getting home. He woke up with a headache and asked his wife what was up. “She told him he was done,” The Journal said.
Chrebet had been retired: The Jets’ team doctor didn’t want to take responsibility for him.
He had enough money not to have to work a 9-to-5 job, but Chrebet was bored. He tried several new careers, including being a restaurateur and owning racehorses. Then he decided to pursue his interest in finance, and got his brokerage and securities licenses.
With all the news that’s come out about the long-term damage concussions cause, let’s hope Chrebet’s life ends well.
He told The Journal that he has some of the side effects of post-concussion syndrome, “but declined to elaborate.” And in the past, Chrebet has admitted that he has migraines and short-term memory loss.
Hopefully, those countless concussions will not eventually take a terrible toll on Chrebet. Or better yet, we’ll know how to cure those who suffered such brain damage.
