{"id":61517,"date":"2018-03-27T07:45:10","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T07:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=61517"},"modified":"2018-03-27T07:45:10","modified_gmt":"2018-03-27T07:45:10","slug":"former-new-york-giants-lb-corey-widmer-declines-montana-football-hall-fame-nomination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/former-new-york-giants-lb-corey-widmer-declines-montana-football-hall-fame-nomination.html","title":{"rendered":"Former New York Giants LB Corey Widmer declines Montana Football Hall of Fame nomination"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former New York Giants LB Corey Widmer declines Montana Football Hall of Fame nomination<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Former New York Giants linebacker and Montana State star Corey Widmer has declined his nomination to the<\/span> Montana Football Hall of Fame, saying the sport \u201cdestroyed my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Widmer said after numerous concussions he fears he suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease. He has depression, memory problems, suffers from mood swings and seeks to isolate himself. Recently, he said, his thumb has started twitching.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 49 years old, depressed to the Nth degree, but have a lot of money … and some people might say it\u2019s still worth it. I just tell them to watch what they wish for,\u201d Widmer told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. \u201cIf someone could\u2019ve explained all of this to me when I was 14, I would\u2019ve given it all back in a heartbeat. I would\u2019ve wished for something else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bozeman native said he couldn\u2019t in good conscience be a part of Saturday\u2019s banquet in Billings celebrating a sport that caused great suffering among his friends and that he believes endangers children.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I refused entry I had to give an explanation, and my explanation is concussion,\u201d Widmer told Lee Newspapers of Montana.<\/span><\/p>\n

But he didn\u2019t want to state his reasons during the ceremony that inducted eight other members to the Montana hall, including former Detroit Lions tight end Casey FitzSimmons and former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Dwan Edwards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The banquet also honored the Petrino coaching tree that began with former Carroll College football coach Bob Petrino and includes his sons \u2014 Louisville coach Bobby Petrino and Idaho coach Paul Petrino. It also honored coaches who once played for Bob Petrino, a group that includes Denver Broncos special teams coordinator Tom McMahon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to make some political statement right in the middle of their party and take advantage of some very nice people,\u201d said Widmer, who was a plaintiff in the NFL concussion lawsuit.<\/span><\/p>\n

But he said he also couldn\u2019t stay silent anymore after reading a recent news story about a lawsuit filed by the family of a 16-year-old Belt High School student who suffered a concussion in a 2014 game and collapsed after playing the next weekend, leaving him nearly paralyzed and unable to speak.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the moment that made me understand,\u201d he said. He had taken a planned trip to Australia thinking he\u2019d \u201cjust escape and walk away from everything. I didn\u2019t want the drama.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut when I got over there I just got this overwhelming guilt, anxiety and was not sleeping,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery day I was waking up thinking about this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So he came back to Montana to explain himself and to urge parents to delay their children\u2019s participation in tackle football, maybe even until their senior year in high school. He argued that letting children in fifth through eighth grade participate in tackle football equates to child endangerment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can just have parents take another look at these kids and the potential dangers for the most prized possessions in their life, maybe they could put that off for a few years,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Widmer played with the Giants from 1992 to 1999, finishing with 271 tackles, 7.5 sacks and four interceptions. He was a standout defensive lineman at Montana State from 1987-91.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/2018\/03\/26\/corey-widmer-declines-montana-football-hall-fame-nomination-concussions\/461142002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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