NFL Player Quits, Citing Chomsky
Now there is a headline I would never have imagined myself reading, let alone typing – but it’s true. Denver Broncos offensive guard John Moffitt quit the team on short notice, telling the team…
he’d lost his love for football and was no longer willing to risk his health.
The third-year offensive guard announced his retirement on Twitter with a shot at the NFL commissioner, who’s drawn criticism for inconsistent messages and policies on player health – particularly with regard to concussions. …
The 27-year-old Moffitt, who signed a four-year contract worth nearly $3 million after he was drafted out of Wisconsin in 2011, will give up more than $312,000 for the remainder of this season and more than $750,000 in non-guaranteed salary next year.
“I’ve saved enough. It’s not like I’m sitting here and I’m a millionaire,” Moffitt said. “That’s what I kind of realized. I’m sitting here and I got to this point and I was like, what is the number that you need? How much do you really need? What do you want in life? And I decided that I don’t really need to be a millionaire.” …
Moffitt said he began studying the writings of Chomsky, the influential linguist and political philosopher, and the head of Tibbetan Buddhism while studying sociology at the University of Wisconsin.
“I just really thought about it and decided I’m not happy,” Moffit said. “I’m not happy, and I think it’s really madness to risk your body, risk your well-being and risk your happiness, for money.”
