The fading football star

Former Dallas Cowboy Rayfield Wright is enveloped in a fog of dementia, said Juliet Macur in The New York Times. The 68-year-old former offensive lineman believes his failing memory and confusion are the results of the countless concussions suffered during his 13 seasons with the Cowboys. “Sometimes, I walk into the kitchen and forget why I went there,” he says. “I’ve gotten into several car accidents because of seizures. Totaled two cars. My memory is not good.” The 6-foot-7 Hall of Famer kept his condition secret until recently. “When you’ve been at the top of the NFL, you don’t want people to know. You’re supposed to be tough and invincible.” He retired at age 34 partly because of his growing inability to understand the team’s plays, and has since suffered decades of depression, dizzy spells, and unexplained bouts of anger. Facing mounting medical bills, Wright, along with 4,500 players, is now suing the NFL, contending that the league concealed what it knew about the dangers of repeated head hits. He won’t discuss whether he feels anger toward the game or the NFL, but does say he worries about current players. “They have no idea what’s in store for them,” he says. “They don’t know.”

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