Young CFLers Retiring from the Game Voluntarily
This season a number of quite young players have voluntarily announced their retirements from the game: Bomber WR Ryan Smith; 25 year old Tiger-Cat National Mathieu Girard; 26 year old Eskimo QB Jordan Lynch; and Rider National DB DB Craig Newman. I do not claim that this is an exhaustive list.
http://3downnation.com/2017/03/31/fo...smith-retires/
http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/...ing-the-shots/
https://www.riderville.com/2017/03/2...es-retirement/
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2017/03/0...r-coaching-gig
Many of the reasons for early retirement are summed up in the article announcing Girard's retirement: better job opportunities in other fields; the growing understanding of the risk of permanent damage and even early death from chronic traumatic encephalopathy; playing away from one's hometown and family; and the risk of ending one's football career in the mid 30's with few other job skills. The question is whether this represents a growing trend.
While some of this relates to the relatively low CFL salaries, that is not the only factor, as the retirement of one of the NFL's top rookies, Chris Borland, at age 24 in 2015 over concerns about concussions (http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_...njury-concerns)
Quote:
Girard has taken a full-time job in information technology with KPMG, an international professional services company with revenues in excess of $25 billion (yes, billion) in 2016.
For a guy with one degree in the field — he's also working on his master's — it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
"As much as I love football, I'm looking at my long-term goals," Girard said. "I didn't want to finish playing at 35 years old without any job experience." ...
There were other, albeit lesser, factors as well. The job allows him to live full-time in his native Montreal where he and his fiancée have just purchased a home. And after suffering a head injury that forced him to miss the final game of the 2016 regular season and playoffs, Girard is more aware than ever of the risks involved in playing.
"I've always been healthy but the concussion did scare me a little," Girard said. "Physically, I'm feeling good, but it got me thinking, 'Is it worth it?'"
http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/...ing-the-shots/
