For the second time in as many days, a player who had started this season has been forced to quit the game entirely due to concussions.
BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced that junior free safety Steven Thomas‘ playing career is over. Thomas suffered a concussion during the Cougars’ Sept. 18 game against Florida State and was never able to full recover from the hit. Thomas had suffered more than one concussion during his football career, and the risk of the DB incurring another one was too great to allow him to return to the playing field.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, coaches and trainers met with Thomas and his family last week, at which time it was determined that he should give up the game.
BYU will honor his scholarship, and Thomas will serve as a player-assistant coach the remainder of the year.
On Monday, Texas head coach Mack Brown announced that running back Tre’ Newton was forced to give up playing football due to the effects of more than one concussion.
It’s sad that kid’s careers are ending early but it’s good see that athletes and schools are realizing that there are more important things than sports. I hope more schools make clear to their players that they shouldn’t fear scholarship loss if they have need to stop playing.