In the 2008 season’s week 6, Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokely suffered a concussion while being tackled after a pass reception with 10:21 left to go in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he ignored it and kept playing. The very next play he caught a pass for the touchdown and was able to sit out most of the rest of the first quarter trying to clear the cobwebs in his head.
In the final minutes of the first quarter, he gathered in another pass and took a minor bump to the helmet that left his legs wobbly. Brandon fell to his knees, and then left for the remainder of the game.
By his own admission, this was not his first concussion. Not counting a serious concussion in college, he counts 7 minor and 3 serious concussions during his 10-year NFL career. If he truly understood the seriousness of a concussion, and how a second rapid-fire head injury can cause uncontrollable brain swelling and death, Brandon Stokely would be thankful he’s even still alive.
Unfortunately, the competitive nature of sports entices players to downplay their injuries so they can continue competing. Double unfortunately, this leads to many players having short careers and short lives. For the sake of Brandon’s 4-year-old son, we hope he realizes how serious these head injuries can be and takes appropriate care of himself.