The 2017 NFL season will be known as one of the most injury-riddled years in recent history. The Seattle Seahawks were largely a magnification of the en route to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Defensive end Cliff Avril suffered a neck injury early on and was ultimately sidelined after needing season-ending surgery. During an appearance on the NFL Network, he addressed whether or not he is focused on ever playing again.
“I’m getting better,” Avril said. “Well, first and foremost, I mean, my health is most important, right? So for me, I just want to get back to feeling good, right? I just want to get back to being able to move around and hopefully be able to get outside and play basketball with my kids, and different things like that.
“That’s the main goal for me. Not necessarily getting back to football, but just quality of life, right?”
Unfortunately, Wright is not the only one faced with such circumstances. Teammate and Pro Bowl safety Kam Chancellor also suffered a neck injury that required season-ending surgery.
The dangers of football have been highlighted over the past several years and, as a result, the NFL has seen a slew of players retiring from the game while still in their prime. Although the average fan would love to see these players on the field for as long as possible, it is completely understandable why they would want to call it quits with their full health still intact. Especially for players like Avril and Chancellor, who largely rely on their physicality to help give them the advantage.
