Miami Dolphins star cornerback Byron Jones appears to be signaling he is wrapping up his NFL career, but he is also telling young players not to take the shots and pills from team doctors because it isn’t worth the lifetime of pain the game wrecks on their bodies.
The news was highlighted in a tweet by Twitter user Pat Brody who wrote on Tuesday, “BREAKING: Miami Dolphins superstar cornerback Byron Jones has retired abruptly from the NFL at 30, claiming ‘Do not take the injections they give you.'”
While Jones denies that his comment means he has retired or is retiring, the sentiment seems pretty final.
The confusion came after Jones wrote a longer post with a more complete explanation of his feelings on the issues.
On Saturday, in a Tweet recalling his amazing broad jump of eleven feet and six inches back in 2015, he noted that he cannot perform such a feat today.
“Much has changed in 8 years. Today I can’t run or jump because of my injuries sustained playing this game. DO NOT take the pills they give you. DO NOT take the injections they give you. If you absolutely must, consult an outside doctor to learn the long-term implications,” he wrote.
In a second tweet, he added, “It was an honor and privilege to play in the NFL but it came at a regrettable cost I did not foresee. In my opinion, no amount of professional success or financial gain is worth avoidable chronic pain and disabilities. Godspeed to the draft class of 2023.”
There were already rumors that the Dolphins were looking to release Jones from his contract this year, perhaps by June 1, Cowboys Wire reported.
So, with his tweet about injuries and the release rumors swirling, more rumors spiraled that the 2015 Dallas Cowboys first-round pick was calling it quits at 30 years of age due to his injuries.
The questions are legit. He missed the entirety of the 2022 season due to injuries. And last year, he underwent surgery to help clean up injuries from 2021. But ESPN reports that sources told them he is not announcing his retirement.
Indeed, Pro Football Network notes that Jones will not likely announce his retirement now because if he did, he’d have to pay back $4.2 million of his signing bonus. And the team won’t make any moves to cut him at least until June 1 because it won’t help them with salary caps, regardless.
Whatever the ins and outs of NFL economics, the fact is that Jones has issued a very real and pertinent warning to young players, telling them that team physicians do not have their best interests in mind when prescribing drugs, pain relievers, and surgeries and that young players should think long and hard about weighing financial gain against a possible lifetime of pain.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.