NFL Alum Blasts League Over Head Injuries, Health Care

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By Sam Laird2013-10-31 19:18:35 UTC

With violent deaths of former players, a PBS Frontline documentary, a detailed book by a pair of Pulitzer Prize winners and a recent $765 million settlement with former players, the NFL's concussion crisis has been a hot topic in sports and news circles these past few months.

But rarely has it been thrown into such viscerally sharp focus as it was Thursday morning.

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Former NFL safety Hamza Abdullah went on an obscenity-laced Twitter tirade against the league and its management over the effect of repeated head trauma on players, NFL medical care and long-lasting health problems he blames on years playing a violent game. It's raw, it's angry, it's emotional and it provides yet another window into growing backlash against the NFL.

Abdullah played seven NFL season with the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals. He played his final game on New Year's Day 2012, just as the NFL players, fans and media were beginning to pay increased attention to the longterm effects of concussions and head trauma.

More and more scientific evidence connecting football head trauma and lasting cognitive damage has piled up as the issue gains traction. Many allege that the NFL did not do enough in the past to educate players about potential longterm effects, or enough to cover their medical costs after playing.

Below are selected posts from Abdullah's 29-tweet rant. Be warned, the language is mildly NSFW. For more, you can check out Abdullah's full timeline.

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Image: Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Topics: Entertainment, NFL, Sports