Total Pro Sports
Nobody dreams of growing old in pain. But for many former NFL stars, that’s precisely how retirement looks.
A new survey by ESPN and KFF has laid bare the steep price of life after football, and the numbers are hard to ignore.
Researchers quizzed 546 players from the 1988 season. The average age was 62.
What they found wasn’t a story about glory days but about broken bodies, fading memories, and daily struggles. Yet in a twist, nearly nine out of ten said they would still choose football again.
New research recently published by Boston University uncovers even more frightening details about NFL players and CTE.
The study paints a tough picture. Six in ten ex-players reported living with a disability.
Three-quarters said pain disrupts their work and personal life. Almost half admitted to severe issues with memory, concentration, and decision-making.
One former player told ESPN, “My quality of life sucks, just sitting here waiting to die.” Another said his wife was “almost at her wits’ end” because he had changed so much since his playing days.
Mental health problems showed up in force. About half of the respondents said they felt depressed in the past year. That’s double the rate for men in the same age group. Fifteen percent said doctors diagnosed them with dementia, compared to less than 4 percent among men 65 and older nationwide.
The hidden cost of life after the NFL is staggering, and yet most former players say they’d do it all over again.
ESPN conducted a survey with players from the 1988 season. Here are the findings ⬇️ https://t.co/tjycffHkGm
— ESPN (@espn) August 15, 2025
The financial toll on NFL players was also severe. Sixteen percent of ex-players said they lost their homes to foreclosure or eviction. Nearly one in five filed for bankruptcy. About a quarter admitted they live with unpaid or unpayable debt.
The survey also highlighted stark racial gaps. Black ex-players reported worse outcomes on physical health, mental health, income, and even interactions with police.
On top of that, nearly a quarter of white players and 5 percent of black players admitted to using anabolic steroids during their careers. Around 40 percent of the overall group reported problems with fertility, testosterone, or erectile dysfunction.
The league insists it’s working on solutions.
In a statement to ESPN, the NFL said, “We know there is no finish line when it comes to the health and safety of players and are committed to finding ways to continue to improve.” The league saw the lowest number of reported concussions since it began tracking them in 2015.
Still, many retired players carry scars that go far beyond the field.
