End for Quarles?

Bucs LB says 6 concussions have him reluctantly pondering retirement.

By STEPHEN F. HOLDER and LISA GREENE
Published March 2, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times files] Shelton Quarles, undrafted in 1994, points with pride to his work ethic, but acknowledges he wants to be healthy enough to enjoy his family ... and golf.

TAMPA - Bucs middle linebacker Shelton Quarles has always taken extreme pride in playing with broken bones, stiff joints and sore muscles, facts of life in the NFL.

But concussions are another matter. Quarles, usually evasive when speaking about injuries, told the Times on Thursday he had six concussions during the 2005 season. Because of lingering effects, doctors have advised him to retire.

He has not made a decision and plans to consult other physicians, but it has become clear much of the evidence suggests retirement is the wisest course for the 35-year-old veteran of 10 NFL seasons and two in the CFL.

"It'll be based on what the doctors think," said Quarles, who held a news conference to discuss his upcoming USO tour to the Persian Gulf. "They have their opinions on the different injuries that I've had over the years. What they say will determine the decision that we make. They're a little more educated in what they do and understand my injuries more than I do. We'll rely not only on our team doctors, but doctors outside the organization to give us an accurate assessment of the injuries that I have."

Quarles did not say whether he had additional concussions during the 2006 season, but he missed four games, often because of injuries that were described in vague terms. At various times during 2006, Quarles dealt with hamstring, knee and groin injuries and frequently was unable to practice.

"I'm not looking to retire, but we'll see what happens with the decision that they make and the direction they want to go in," he said.

Quarles expressed some concern for his future health and the possible effects of further injury - particularly concussions - on his quality of life.

"I remember when (former Vikings running back) Robert Smith retired pretty much at the top of his game and he thought about that," Quarles said. "(Former Lions running back) Barry Sanders, too.

"I definitely want to be able to enjoy my kids and enjoy my family as they get older," said the father of two boys and a girl. "I want to be out there as they play baseball or play football or whatever it is. And I definitely enjoy the game of golf."

If the concussions occurred with the frequency Quarles described, it would be particularly alarming to doctors, especially considering the fact he played in all 16 games in 2005. The severity of the concussions is not known. Asked why he felt comfortable playing despite the previously undisclosed brain injuries, Quarles smiled and responded, "You know me."

The players union is studying how best to deal with concussions.

The first concussion can make a second more likely, and over time, somebody who has had repeated concussions is at higher risk for further brain injury and damage, doctors say.

"A concussion can cause something similar to a bruise on the brain," said Dr. Leon D. Prockop, a neurology professor at the USF College of Medicine.

Impact causes tiny hemorrhages that do not heal completely, so that area is more susceptible to repeated injury.

It's also possible that repeated concussions affect the part of the brain stem that controls consciousness, making it hypersensitive and more susceptible to injury, said Dr. David Seaberg, chairman of emergency medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Emergency doctors see so many concussions, mostly from car accidents, that Seaberg treated two on Thursday alone.

Research is evolving. But they're beginning to see that damage is greater than previously thought.

Long-term damage can range from memory loss to loss of cognitive thinking to depression and other emotional problems. Neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's may be linked to repeated brain injury, Prockop and Seaberg said.

"I'm a competitor, so I always feel that whatever injuries I have, I can play through them," said Quarles, who was not drafted out of Vanderbilt in 1994. "My whole career has been based on that. Nothing has been given to me. That's the way I am. I'm going to work until I can't anymore."

If Quarles decides to move on, he would be replaced by 2005 second-round pick Barrett Ruud.

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at (813) 226-3377 or sholder@sptimes.com.

[Last modified March 2, 2007, 06:31:11]