Myers: Jets LB does not want son to play football

Kevin Hagen for New York Daily News

NY Jets linebacker Bart Scott is among growing number of NFL players who question whether game is right for their kids.

Jets linebacker Bart Scott has been right in the middle of the violence every Sunday in the NFL for the last 10 years. He has seen enough and knows enough that he?s already made his decision: He doesn?t want his 7-year old son, B.J. , playing football.

It?s only natural that the concussion issue, which is the biggest threat to the future of the game, has today?s players concerned not only for their own health but for the health of their children who might want to play football. The suicides of Dave Duerson and Junior Seau have players worried about the possible link between the punishment their bodies take playing football and their mental state when football is over.

?I don?t want my son to play football,? Scott told the Daily News. ?I play football so he won?t have to. With what is going on, I don?t know if it?s really worth it.?

Scott considers himself part of the ?2%? who were able to make it in the NFL out of all the players who play in college and have aspirations to make football their career. ?Think about guys in college or Division III, what?s their reward? What about the other 98%,? Scott said. ?My reward is being able to provide for my family at a high level.?

If football was good enough for Scott, why not for his son?

?I don?t want to have to deal with him getting a concussion and what it would be like later in life,? he said.

?He can play baseball. I really don?t want him boxing, either, even though he wants to box. I won?t let him box. It?s not worth it. The most important thing for me is him being around and me being able to spend a long time with him and I?m sure, at the end of the day, all the things I'm able to buy him from playing football, he?d much rather have me.?

If B.J. comes to him in three years and says he wants to play Pop Warner football, Scott knows he will have a problem. ?I can?t stop him from doing what he wants to do, but I would advise him and try to push other things in his face that may interest him,? he said. ?The more you tell him not to, the more he?s going to do it. I would support it, because he?s my son, but I also would try to push baseball in his face.?

Scott signed a six-year $48 million contract with the Jets in 2009 that should guarantee he never has to deal with any post-career financial problems. But what about his health? Has he had any concussions? ?Not that I know of, but I?m sure I probably have some damage. I play linebacker,? he said. ?Was it diagnosed as a concussion? Did I say anything about it? I don?t know.?

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