National Football League

Zach Zenner diary: On Chris Borland, retirement and concussions

Published Mar. 17, 2015 2:00 p.m. ET

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Zach Zenner played running back at South Dakota State, where he became the first FCS back to rush for 2,000 yards in three different seasons and finished 12 yards shy of setting the FCS' all-time rushing record. Projected to be a late-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Zenner will take you through the process of training for the NFL Combine, his pro day, the anticipation for draft day and more. Check out his first, second, third and fourth entries, and follow Zenner on Twitter @Zenner31.

Like most of you, I saw the surprising news about Chris Borland's decision to retire from the NFL this week after one season due to concerns about head trauma, and as a player who knows the dangers of the game all too well — not to mention a prospective medical school student — I certainly can understand where he's coming from.

I've been so fortunate in my football-playing career to have avoided concussions to this point. Sure, as a running back, I've taken a big hit or two in my day, just like anyone else at my position, but I've never been diagnosed with one, and I understand and can recognize the symptoms well enough to comfortably say I've never had one cross the line into dangerous.

Anyone who plays our game knows what to look for, and I would have never given a possible concussion anything less than my complete attention, because you can't understate just how potentially harmful they can be. So with that in mind, I also wouldn't think twice about retiring, myself, if I felt head injuries had reached a point where they were likely to impact my long-term health.

To be clear, I don't profess to be an authority on the brain. I've researched it to some degree, and have some familiarity with Alzheimer's disease due to my studies as a pre-med student at South Dakota State, and I know there is better, more conclusive research being done on the way football impacts the brain as we speak.

But you don't have to be an expert or read a study to know that it's not good to get concussions and that at a point it starts to become a chronic issue with lasting effects.

One of the most dangerous things players tend to do is willingly put themselves in harm's way by marginalizing the dangers of playing with a concussion — failing to properly report their symptoms and keeping themselves in games they have no business playing in — but that has never and will never be my approach to football.

I love this game as much as anyone, and I think it's the greatest sport in the world, and, just like everyone else trying to break into the league, as well as those who have been entrenched in it for years, I want to keep doing what I love for as long as I can. But I'm under no impression that I'm immune to concussions, and I understand that the long-term effects can be hard to see when you're in your 20s and you feel like you're living the dream.

No player actively thinks about concussions when they're out there on the field, and if anyone did, they wouldn't be playing because you couldn't possibly perform to the best of your abilities if you're busy thinking about how to avoid getting hurt. But it's every player's responsibility to be honest and understand the inherent risks that come with this sport and have a game-plan for life after football, as well.

For me, that's working in the medical field, as a doctor. I don't know yet what I'll specialize in — I've always leaned toward orthopedics, but I certainly wouldn't rule out the brain — but the point is that I'll be ready, whether that chapter of my story begins in 12 months or 12 years. Because I know I can't play football forever, and whether it's a concussion or a bad ankle injury, or even old age that finally forces me off the field, it's going to end at some point.

As for Chris, he's a fantastic football player who is doing what he feels is best for himself and his family, and I can't do anything but commend him for it. I don't know his specific history or the factors that led to his retirement, but there's no shame in his choice to make an investment in his future, and I have no doubt that it'll be a decision that benefits him for decades to come.

Chapter 1: Getting a Combine invite and getting engaged

Chapter 2: Trying to score points at the Combine

Chapter 3: Home sweet home back at South Dakota State

Chapter 4: It's a family affair as Zenner returns to Eagan