Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones posted messages to Twitter on Saturday that bemoaned the physical toll that football has taken on his body and appeared to criticize medical personnel.
“Much has changed in 8 years,” he wrote. “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.”
Jones, 30, has started 103 games over seven NFL seasons, including five with the Dallas Cowboys, who made him a first-round selection (27th overall) in the 2015 draft. He was a Pro Bowl selection for the Cowboys following the 2018 season.
The former UConn star spent the entire 2022 season on the physically unable to perform list as he dealt with ankle and Achilles issues that required surgery.
His tweets came in response to an NFL post lauding his performance in the broad jump at the 2015 NFL Combine.
Jones went on to cast doubt on his football future, though he did not say he was retiring.
“It was an honor and privilege to play in the NFL but it came at a regrettable cost I did not foresee,” Jones wrote. “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.”
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