The underbelly of the National Football League during the 1980’s isn’t something that is focused on a great deal. It, however, brings up some disturbing memories from players of that era.
This was brought to the forefront in a segment on an all-new episode of HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.
Speaking to the veteran journalist, former Bears plays candidly discuss the use of pills, alcohol and thoughts of suicide on camera.
The face of that team, Jim McMahon, talked about contemplating suicide.
When I first heard about these guys killing themselves, I couldn’t figure out how they could do that. But I was having those thoughts myself,” a now 55-year-old McMahon told Gumbel. “Feelings of inadequacy. And just like you’re a dumbass. Once the pain starts getting that bad, you figure you’ll take the only way out. If I would’ve had a gun, I probably wouldn’t be here.
Meanwhile Hall of Fame defensive end Richard Dent, who is in the midst of a concussion lawsuit against the National Football League, added the following about his former quarterback receiving pain-killers during his playing days..
I mean, they’re (team doctors) sticking him (McMahon) everywhere,” Dent said. “One game, I watched them stick him in the butt, and the arms, and the shoulder, and the hand.
McMahon added that he was up to “100 Percs a month just to function.” The term perc is a slang for Oxycodone/Acetaminophen, which is a favorite pain-killer for drug addicts and owns an unusually high street value.
Interestingly enough, former Bears head coach Mike Ditka, also a Hall of Famer, refused to deny the claims of his former players.
Well, they (pills, needles and drugs) were plentiful. There’s no question about it. Now, who are you mad at? The team? Are you mad at the league? Are you mad at the sport? Are you mad at me? You’re not going to cure them right now.
At the forefront of the concussion issue around the NFL is former Bears player Dave Duerson, who was found to have Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) after he committed suicide back in 2011.
However, this new information sheds even more light on the culture of drug use in the NFL during the 1980’s.
Photo: ESPN.com