Wes Welker playing football scares ex-teammate because of concussions

If there’s anyone who should stop playing football because of concussions it’s Wes Welker.

Well, he’s probably not the only player who shouldn’t be playing because of the risk of brain injury, but the very idea of him stepping back onto the field again is enough to worry one of his former Denver Broncos teammates.

“I don’t want Wes to play for my own personal reasons. I’ve seen him get concussions. It scares me,” retired Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey told Fox Sports. “I think he can still play, but I don’t want him to play because of these concussions.”

“This thing is no joke. It’s a serious thing when you start talking about your head. And for him to have to worry about that at a young age that he is now, he has to think about that for years to come, and I just hope he hangs it up and not strap it up again.”

Welker, 34, suffered three concussions over a span of 10 months while with the Broncos from 2013-14. He’s currently a free agent, seeking his next assignment to catch passes in the teeth of opposing defenses.

The 5-foot-9 receiver has made a living taking big hits in the middle of the field while holding onto the football. He’s led the league in catches three times (2007, 2009, 2011) and has 890 career receptions for 10,688 total yards including playoffs over 12 seasons.

To protect himself, Welker began wearing a larger helmet in 2014 after missing four games near the end of the Broncos’ 2013 season because of concussions. He was diagnosed with another concussion following a hit during preseason last year.

“I understand why he has that desire to play ... he wants the ring,” Bailey said. “He’s been to two really good programs that should have got him the ring but he didn’t get it. He still has that hunger, I just don’t want to see it.”

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