Two former Chargers players open up about NFL and health

The NFL is buzzing following the retirement of Andrew Luck, and two former Chargers players have opened up about their own injuries.

Former players around the NFL have opened up about their own history of injuries following the abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck, sometimes using their own stories to support his decision. Two of the players that have opened up recently: Former Chargers fullback LeRon McClain and guard/center Rich Ohrnberger.

Here is the tweet from McClain, which will be edited for appropriate content:

I have to get my head checked. Playing fullback since high school. It takes too much do do anything. My brain is tired. NFL, I need some help with this. Dark times and it’s showing. Help me please! They don’t care I had to get lawyers man!

This first came to my attention with a retweet from Ohrnberger, who later opened up in much greater detail surrounding his own story. Here are pieces of that story, pulled from his personal Twitter account:

“I remember one night, laying in bed, tears streaming from eyes, considering waking my wife to take me to the Emergency Room. It’s surreal to look back and review this… it’s hideously comical how much of myself I was willing to give, but the alternative felt like failure.

I was losing strength in my right leg. My leg was also ‘blanking out’ or becoming momentarily paralyzed, sometimes while I was walking or running (I’d hit the ground every time). I was told my loss of strength could be forever…

I’ve had both shoulders operated on, part of a clavicle bone removed, spent a season on IR due to a concussion, ruptured my MCL, and had back surgery. That’s the abbreviated list… Football is about dealing with pain. It’s unavoidable. …but it wears you down.

Take each tweet or set of tweets as you will; for now, the most Chargers fans can do is support any and all current and former members of the team as best they can. Feel free to give either of their accounts a showing of support.