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Ed Cunningham, a former National Football League player and top ESPN commentator and color analyst for college football games, has resigned, citing his discomfort with the chronic injuries athletes risk.
Cunningham told The New York Times he felt wrong profiting off a sport that has killed some of its participants.
“In its current state, there are some real dangers: broken limbs, wear and tear,” Cunningham said. “But the real crux of this is that I just don’t think the game is safe for the brain. To me, it’s unacceptable.”
He discusses in the rest of the Times interview his experience on the field, stressing the potential for brain injury, and some of his ideas for ensuring safety in football.
Cunningham played five seasons in the NFL for both the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks before entering the media realm in the 1990s, working his way up to one of the most significant jobs in sports broadcasting.
