Brian Urlacher Quotes

Boxing is a great example of it, but in football, sometimes you're taking greater hits than boxers. When you have one man going full speed against another man, and those heads are colliding, it's just the fact of science you're going to have results.

The only time I've ever been knocked out in my entire life was in a rugby game when I was about 13. I used to play on the wing. The opposing winger has the ball in his hand and he's running full speed at me. I go down to tackle him and he jumps up and his knee hits my temple.

But now there are more concussions due to not being used to the hard hitting.

It's great playing a sport where you don't get hit in the head.

I never had a concussion playing rugby.

Football has always been violent. In the early days of the game, they didn't wear hard helmets. They wore soft helmets, which were just designed to protect the ears. In the '40s and '50s they began to introduce hard helmets, which provided much more protection against things like skull fractures.

Athletes, coaches and parents today are increasingly aware of the danger of concussion, and this awareness influences decisions about buying new and reconditioned football helmets.

I want to leave this sport with a little bit of my brains left.

Have I ever left the field with a broken nose, black eye? Yes, numerous times. I've had a broken nose and a few black eyes. It's part and parcel of the game, really.

I would advise kids not to play any sports, such as tackle football, where they are exposed to repeated blows to the head.

I wouldn't let my children play football.

A knee injury could put you out for a season. A concussion, you may miss a game or two. Huge difference.

My opinion, football is the most dangerous sport there is. After that, I'll give it to probably boxing.

Scarily, football helmets, which do a fine job of protecting against scalp laceration and skull fracture, do little to prevent concussions and may even exacerbate them, since even as the brain is rattling around inside the skull, the head is rattling around inside the helmet.

I just banged it a little bit on a helmet. And you know, if you get your throwing motion and momentum going at a helmet it makes it hurt a little more and it freaks everybody out because it's your throwing shoulder, but honestly, it feels great.

I've been hit in the head so many times, it's hard to remember that far back. I don't remember specific games.

[Referring to Jack Kemp:] … a football player who has played too much without his helmet.

He [Gerald R. Ford] played too much football with his helmet off.

You had no mask, and the coach kept telling you, 'Use your head.' And I did.

It doesn't take science to know that when you have head-to-head collisions, there's going to be some effect.

When I was 15 and playing in Kalamazoo, I ran into a light pole on the side of the court and was knocked out for a little while - when I woke up, I was seeing stars!

Young kids should probably not play tackle football. I know this intellectually, but emotionally, I'm conflicted. I love this sport. I grew up playing and adoring football. I love the brotherhood, teamwork, athletic grace that borders on superhuman, grit, pressure and, yes, contact. I love the contact.

It's a part of football, you get concussed, you gotta keep on playing. You can't get afraid to go across the middle any more than you were at the beginning.

My lone concussion occurred in 2003 against Denver. I was spinning off block and right when I spun, I hit Clinton Portis with my head turned sideways. I hit him and I hit the ground. That was first big one where I was like 'Whoa.' Back then, it was no big deal.

I've had concussions, and I'm still here. I still love the sport.