Cleveland Browns

Browns Pro Bowl LT Joe Thomas says he’s already having memory loss

Published Apr. 26, 2017 5:20 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas hasn’t missed a game during his career while cementing himself as one of the league’s best players at his position. But despite being relatively healthy during his 10-year career, Thomas admits football might have already taken its toll on his body.

The 32-year-old said Wednesday that he’s already experiencing memory loss, though Thomas wouldn’t definitely link that to playing in the NFL.

"I definitely expect memory loss," Thomas said on “In Depth With Graham Bensinger." "I'm already seeing memory loss, and maybe that's just because of my old age or maybe it's football, it's hard to tell.

"I mean, there's no double-blind studies when it comes to people's life. It's just a part, I think, of sometimes getting older. And it's hard to tell it's because of football or because you're 32 and you're not 21 anymore and you have a lot of stuff going in your life."

Thomas laid out some of the symptoms he’s experienced but added that he’s tried to maintain a positive outlook through it all.

"Short-term memory loss -- hard times remembering things that have happened recently," he said. "Like, you walk to the grocery store and you're like, 'Huh, I can't remember what I needed to get.'

"Just little stuff like that, and I think if you let it really bug you, I think it can make you depressed and feel sad. Like, 'Wow, I don't have the memory I used to have.' But, you know, I try to be relatively good-natured about it at this point."

Thomas has been named to the Pro Bowl in each year of his career after being taken with the No. 3 pick in 2007. He said he knew the dangers of playing football but added that almost every profession comes with risk.

"There's definitely a concern," Thomas said. "But the way I look at it is just about every profession in our society: There's some lasting effects. It's just the way that our society is set up. People have to work. If I was a stone mason or if I was a painter or building bridges or whatever, there's going to be some wear and tear on your body and your brain. And that's just the way it is.

"To be able to live the lifestyle and provide for my family the way that football has been able to do, to me it's a trade-off that I'm willing to accept."

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