Another Wisconsin Football player is stepping away from the game to pursue a successful life outside of the game.
The 2018 Wisconsin O-line was as deep as the Mariana Trench. It is still quite deep, and highly talented, but now a little less so. Patrick Kasl, a redshirt sophomore who was competing for the starting left tackle job, recently announced that he was retiring from football to focus on his academic career. Given that he is a biomedical engineering major, such focus makes sense. Cole Van Lanen and Jon Dietzen will now battle for the position, though both should see hefty playing time this year.
Wisconsin football players departing the gridiron to focus on other pursuits is not a new phenomenon. From 2011-2013, Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland led staunch Badger D’s and dominated opposing offenses. Drafted in the third round of the 2014 draft, Borland looked the part of a draft-day steal, as the 49er earned All-Rookie Team honors at inside linebacker. Borland could have made millions in the NFL, earned more honors, and positioned himself to win a Super Bowl, but he retired from football following a very successful rookie year.
Why did Borland leave his teammates, coaches, an almost certain seven-figure salary, and a game that he devoted much of his life to behind? He did so because of the overwhelming evidence that playing football is tied to degenerative brain diseases, and he did so because he could.
Borland graduated from UW-Madison, majoring in history. With a college degree from a top-tier university to fall back on, he had options beyond football. Many don’t.
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It’s easy to imagine that most NCAA Football and NFL players love the game. They are uber-competitive, driven, and goal-oriented. The money is good. Many came from lower socio-economic backgrounds and can care for their families several times over. Some need every dime, uncertain of their career-length and life after football. It is a beautiful thing that Borland did not.
It is also a beautiful thing that Kasl doesn’t either. In our sports-obsessed country, we cherish athletes. We recognize their talent and appreciate the entertainment they give us. That isn’t a bad thing.
But as Badger fans, we should be just as proud of Borland for letting his former colleagues know it is okay to leave a dangerous game so their probability of recognizing their grandchildren in fifty years will increase dramatically. We should be just as proud of Kasl when he helps engineer life-saving medical equipment as we would be if he were the next Joe Thomas.
We should also recognize that not all players have this opportunity. Wisconsin Badgers are special, on and off the field.