By now, even non-football fans are aware of the danger associated with concussions and how prevalent they are in the NFL. But to hear former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Gary Plummer talk about the number he suffered during his 15-year career is kind of sobering, to say the least.

From his own estimation, he’s had around 2,500 concussions.

“If you’re not getting at least 10 of those a game, as a middle linebacker in the NFL, that means you didn’t play that day,” Plummer told the 49ers Insider Podcast during a recent interview. “I played 250 games. So (with) at least ten a game, that’s 2,500 concussions.”

During his day, the NFL didn’t diagnose concussions quite like they do today. They certainly were not as concerned about them either. It wasn’t unheard of for a guy to play through one. Could he have had that many? Probably not, but he was one of those guys that played with incredible reckless abandon.

So, he could have very likely had quite a few.

Since retiring back in 1998, Plummer has suffered from many of the symptoms often attributed to CTE. He has had memory issues, trouble sleeping, constant headaches, anxiety, and has been diagnosed with early onset dementia.

“I knew I was having some issues, but like a typical NFL guy, you think you’re still invincible,” Plummer said on the 49ers Insider Podcast.

Treatment has worked well for him. He’s gotten into yoga, gardening, meditation, and has learned how to play a musical instrument. He’s learned that different mental challenges help stimulate his brain and improve his quality of life.

Concussions are a terrible thing to live with whether you’ve had five or 2,500. Hopefully, other players will learn from Plummer’s example on how to take care of themselves after football.