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Raiders linebacker Bill Romanowski could be contemplating retirement after missing the first game of his 16-season NFL career Sunday because of a series of concussions.
According to a report in Monday's San Francisco Chronicle, sources within the Raiders organization don't expect the 16-year NFL veteran to play again.
"Based on what we've seen, I'd be surprised if he ever plays again,'' a source close to the team told the Chronicle. "This is the cumulative effect of a number of small concussions over a short period of time. He's taking all of that into account."
Romanowski had played in 243 consecutive games -- the fifth-longest streak among active players at the start of the season. He had started 131 straight games, but was scratched for the Raiders' 34-31 overtime victory over the San Diego Chargers.
"I'm evaluating the situation, that's all I can say," Romanowski said Sunday after the game. "I've had a few concussions this season, and it's something to be alarmed about. Otherwise, I would have been out there."
Romanowski got a concussion in the Raiders' season opener against Tennessee, but he played in two more games before team doctors held him out of Sunday's game. He had 20 tackles in the first three games after being Oakland's second-leading tackler last season.
Romanowski wouldn't give the total number of concussions he has endured this season, but it's clear the durable performer took his latest setback seriously. Romanowski spoke somberly and deliberately about his future.
"Eventually, something is going to take you out, whether it be your desire, whether it be the organization," Romanowski said. "This is one thing" that could do it.
According to the Chronicle, Romanowski said he has consulted with several of the "best [doctors] in the country," including a group from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine which, in 2002, compiled a detailed study on the cumulative effect of multiple concussions in high school athletes.
Romanowski will consult with several more specialists and the Raiders' doctors before making any decision on his future. He doesn't know if he'll be able to practice until he finishes a series of tests.
While playing for four teams and appearing in five Super Bowls during a highly successful career, Romanowski has been known both for his fanatical physical preparation and his mental lapses.
He made headlines last month when he punched teammate Marcus Williams in the face during a fight in practice, breaking Williams' orbital bone and putting him on injured reserve.(click here for that story) It was the latest episode in a long line of bad behavior by Romanowski, who missed just one day of practice after the fight.
For years, Romanowski has adhered to a strict diet and a training regime that's among the NFL's most elaborate -- but no amount of physical preparation can protect even the toughest players from head injuries.
"I'm not going to sit here and whine and cry about it," Romanowski said. "We'll evaluate things and see where I'm going from here."
source: espn
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