ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Former NFL players are piling on when it comes to lawsuits against the league for the head injuries they sustained during the course of their careers.
Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola doesn't plan to be part of that litigation.
"When I'm at home in my rocking chair at 40, I don't think I'm going to be thinking about suing the NFL," Raiola, 33, said Tuesday following one of the team's offseason workouts. "I don't know if I can justify suing the league when I'm done because it's given me 11 years of fun. That's their prerogative (to sue). That's how they're handling it.
"I think when you sign up for this job, you know what you're getting into. Granted, the money's a lot more now. At the same time, you're going to get dinged up."
Raiola said he accepts any potential side effects he encounters down the road.
"Whether it's short-term memory loss, those are all the rigors of this job," he said. "That's why it's not for everybody. It takes a unique individual to play this.
"I have so much fun playing this game, I really don't worry about it (head injuries). Those things are going to come. It's common knowledge that people are going to suffer. Memory loss is going to come. You're hitting every time you step on the field."
Is it really worth it in the end?
"It's totally worth it," Raiola said. "This is the best job in the world. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
"I have fun every time I step on the field. I think that's what it's all about."
Lions receiver Nate Burleson, a nine-year veteran, took a different approach on the lawsuit issue.
"I don't want to cross that out right now," he said smiling. "I guess I'll cross that bridge when I need to. Right now, I'm good. I've had a couple (concussions) in the league. That isn't a concern right now while I'm playing.
"Some of those things (lawsuits) are just. This is a violent sport. After guys get done playing, they have a lot of issues health-wise. Hopefully, the NFL will honor what they said they would and take care of us."
Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, the Lions' representative for the NFL Players Association, said he has, incredibly, never sustained a concussion in 11 years in the league.
"I've never had headaches from football," he added. "I guess I consider myself lucky."
Still, he's concerned about the long-term factors for all players.
"In the last couple of years, there's been a tremendous amount of progress," Vanden Bosch said. "The reason for our shortened offseason, the reason for our changes in training camp, the reason for the changes in the rules in the regular season as far as padded practices, all that's because of head injuries and concussions and brain trauma.
"The NFL and the NFLPA are working on it. The two sides are starting to understand that you can limit those collisions and the banging and you can still have quality football and you can still get better as a team and you can still give the fans a product that they expect."
EXTRA POINTS
The NFL schedule is expected to be released Tuesday, possibly around 7:00 p.m. to coincide with a program airing on the NFL Network.
"Feels like a lot of prime time games for us," Lions president Tom Lewand wrote in a message on Twitter Tuesday morning.
The Lions appeared on one Monday Night game and one Sunday night game last season, plus the annual Thanksgiving Day appearance.
Despite the so-called Madden Cover Jinx, Burleson said he's still voting for teammate Calvin Johnson in a contest to determine whose photo will be shown on the front of the video game.
Numerous players, including Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis last year, have been injured after appearing on the cover.
"I'm going to vote for him," Burleson said of Johnson, one of four semifinalists in the voting. "I would love to see my guy on the cover of Madden. I'm a big Madden fan.
"I do believe in the curse, but there's certain curses that can be erased with the dollar sign.
"If any guy can break the curse, it's Calvin. This dude is a monster. He's strong enough to break tackles. He can break a curse."
