Former NFL players now entering retirement age are more likely to be living with chronic pain or a disability, are more depressed and anxious, and are far more likely to report having some type of cognitive decline than the average American man, a new survey has found.
Yet, in spite of all that, the vast majority say they would do it all over again, and that playing football had a positive effect on their lives.
The findings are the result of a survey conducted by ESPN and independent health-policy research, polling and news organization KFF that sought to assess the life outcomes of NFL players who are around the typical retirement age. The survey attempted to contact all 1,532 players who played in an NFL game during the 1988 season; 546 men participated, with an average age of 62, representing about one-third of the players in the league that year.
The 45-question survey, the largest independent study of its kind, asked a range of questions about the players’ day-to-day lives in the years after they retired from the NFL. Among the survey’s key findings:
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Almost all the ex-players reported having at least some pain the past three months, with half saying they had pain every day and three-quarters saying pain limited their work and personal activity. Almost half said they had “serious difficulty” concentrating, remembering or making decisions at times. By several measures, former players were significantly more likely than men their age to report experiencing pain and mental health issues. (Comparisons to men of a similar age are based on data from large federal health surveys or other KFF surveys.)
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Fifteen percent of players said a doctor had diagnosed them with dementia. One study based on the National Health Interview Survey found that just under 4% of men ages 65 and older have been diagnosed with dementia.
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About half of players said they felt depressed in the past 12 months, compared with a quarter of men aged 55 to 75.
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Six in 10 players reported living with some type of disability — including difficulty walking or climbing stairs, dressing or bathing — three times the rate of men their age.
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Black players fared worse than white players across the board, from physical and mental ailments to income and interactions with law enforcement.
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Ex-players continue to embrace the game in a variety of ways but were divided in their attitudes about youth tackle football. About one-third said the risks of tackle football before high school outweigh the benefits, and 1 in 4 said they would support a ban on tackle football for children below the high school level.
Still, 9 out of 10 ex-players said they would make the same decision to play professional football. Even among players who said the NFL had a negative effect on both their physical health and mental well-being, 78% said they would decide to play again.
In a statement responding to the survey, an NFL spokesperson noted the league’s efforts to fund health and wellness programs through its collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association.
“In the last CBA alone, the parties invested over $2 billion to further enhance player pension and health benefits and has resulted in significantly increased access to long-term care, counseling, and career transition programs,” the statement said.
The spokesperson also cited efforts to support former players through the NFL Legends Community and steps to make the game safer, “including by implementing strategies to reduce concussions and remove head impacts from the game.”
The league last season reported 182 concussions, a 17% drop from the previous season and the fewest since it began tracking the data in 2015.
“While we’re encouraged by this progress, we know there is no finish line when it comes to the health and safety of players and are committed to find ways to continue to improve,” the statement said.
A spokesperson for the NFLPA pointed to programs including the Professional Athletes Foundation and the association’s Former Player Services department that provide support to ex-players. “We recognize the toll that the game of football has taken on the bodies and minds of our former player population. Their post-career pain and challenges are well documented, and our union is committed to contributing useful resources and support,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Previous studies of NFL players, many funded by the league or the NFLPA, have largely focused on head trauma and physical ailments sustained from the game. ESPN and KFF’s survey polled players about their physical well-being — including the number of surgeries they’ve had, their ability to accomplish certain tasks, and the pain they feel — but also their mental acuity, with questions about feelings and forgetfulness. They also were asked about their post-NFL careers, marriages, children, income, run-ins with police and their opinions of and engagement with the NFL.
Players answered open-ended questions with the assurance their comments would remain anonymous. In their responses, some grappled with the pros and cons of their playing careers.
For example, when asked why they would or wouldn’t play professional football again, more than 30 responses included phrases like “childhood dream” and “dream come true.” One player noted the “great competition and camaraderie” of football and said that, even though he had been diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s, “I would do it again.”
Other athletes pointed to the lifelong opportunities gained by an NFL career — including money, fame and social confidence — as a reason for enduring the steep toll.
“Playing football … I encountered people from different ethnicities, religious beliefs, achievements and family units that gave me great perspectives on living,” one player said.
Those who said they wouldn’t choose to play again often expressed anger and regret. One player listed a litany of surgeries: two hip replacements, five shoulder replacements and one knee replacement. “I can’t play catch with my grandson. I can’t play the guitar or piano anymore. I can’t go hiking … I can’t do a f—ing thing physically,” he said.
Said another player: “Football has been a blessing to me, but it has also been a curse in the long run. Sometimes I wish that I never played this dear sport that I loved. … The sport of football gave me so much. But it took even more from me, in ways you can’t explain unless you played yourself.”
Some cited mental health issues: “I blew up two great relationships and have had issues with my kids as my temper and loss of memory hamper my ability to have a coherent conversation. My quality of life sucks, just sitting here waiting to die.”
Another player said he has had surgery on both hips, both knees and “an unknown number of concussions.”
“I believe that my wife is almost at her wits’ end with me because I am not the same person that she met over 30 years ago,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, my life is not as bad as it could be, and for that I’m grateful.”
The overwhelming opinion that the pain and sacrifice were worth the opportunity held true for players regardless of race. But in many cases, Black players were more likely than white players to report mental health issues and cognitive decline, physical pain that limits their work or life activities, and financial difficulties. For example, 37% of Black former players reported that they were unable to work because of a football-related disability, compared with 19% of white players.
While previous studies have shown disparities between Black and white people across a range of life and medical outcomes more generally, Black players also reported more problems — and a greater severity of problems — than other Black men their age across several physical and mental health metrics.
The survey also sought to gauge what players thought about youth football, including their decisions to let their own children play. About 6 in 10 players encouraged their children to play football, including nearly half who said the sport had a negative impact on their physical and mental health.
The survey also attempted to account for at least 128 players from the 1988 season who have died or who couldn’t take the survey because of a physical or mental ailment. Surveyors contacted relatives or other representatives to answer questions as a proxy for those athletes. Of the 19 proxies who agreed to take the survey (18 of whom represented a player who has died), 11 said football had a positive impact on their loved one’s life and seven said it had a negative impact. One said there was no impact.
ESPN chose to survey players from the 1988 season after the widow of former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Daren Gilbert contacted the network and expressed concern about her husband’s struggles before his death and the state of many of his teammates.
Her request prompted ESPN to explore the life outcomes of NFL players from the 1980s — an era that saw the prevalence of cocaine, two players’ strikes, rule changes, a more than doubling of the average salary and the banning of steroids.
Among the survey respondents, 23% of white players and 5% of Black players said they had used anabolic steroids. About 4 in 10 players said they have been diagnosed with low testosterone, erectile dysfunction or fertility issues. Players who reported those issues were more likely to say they have used anabolic steroids, compared to players who haven’t been diagnosed with those issues. Research has shown that steroid use can affect fertility.
Most players — 73% — said they are very or somewhat satisfied with their personal financial situation. About 3 in 10 players reported a 2023 family income of less than $90,000. (The median family income in the United States is about $80,000.) About 4 in 10 fell between $90,000 and $200,000, and the final 3 in 10 of respondents reported income of $200,000 or more.
Still, 1 in 5 reported delaying health care at least once in the past year because of the cost, and 4 in 10 reported being uninsured at some point since they stopped playing professional football.
One in 10 said they had fallen behind on their rent or mortgage in the past 12 months. Since they retired from professional football, 16% said they had lost their home to eviction or foreclosure, and 17% said they had declared personal bankruptcy. About 1 in 4 said they currently have a debt that’s past due or that they’re unable to pay.
While that may be hard to believe considering the wealth and fame often associated with NFL players, consider this: In 1988, the average NFL salary was about $250,000 — the equivalent of nearly $700,000 in 2025. The current NFL rookie minimum is $840,000.
For more information, visit KFF’s website.
