Jim McMahon Talks About Dementia, Says He Should Have Played Baseball

Former quarterback Jim McMahon is starting to feel the effects of playing in the NFL for 14-years.

In a recent interview with WFLD-TV the Chicago Bears QB talked about the early stages of dementia and said that, if he had to do it all over again, he would probably play baseball instead of football.

McMahon said:

“That was my first love, was baseball, and had I had a scholarship to play baseball. I probably would have played just baseball.”

But McMahon doesn’t exactly regret his football career. He’s still a legend in Chicago, and, until the Bears win another Super Bowl, the 1985 team will remain one of the city’s cherished sports teams.

McMahon said:

“Football paid for everything… it still does. That Super Bowl XX team is still as popular as it ever was. Until they win again, we’re gonna still make money.”

Mercury News reports that McMahon is one of the 2,400 former players who are suing the NFL for concussion-related dementia. The former quarterback said that he suffered at least four concussions during his NFL career.

McMahon said:

“They’d ask you questions, basic questions. Where are you, what day is it? Stuff like that. And if you were able to answer that and seem like you were OK, they would let you back in.”

The former quarterback said that he is trying to keep his mind sharp but occasionally has problems with his memory.

McMahon said:

”When my friends call and leave me a message… I’ll read it and delete it before I respond and then I forget who called and left me a message.”

Fortunately, no one will ever let him forget this.