NFL Star Abruptly Retires To Pursue Doctorate
Many professional football players retire to coaching or the broadcasting booth, while some go into politics or acting.
Few go from football to a medical profession, but that is the career transition that Miami Dolphins tight end Julius Thomas plans to make.
Thomas announced Friday he is retiring to pursue a doctorate in psychology.
“I always told myself I would only keep playing football if it was the thing I wanted to do most in the world — not just because I could do it. If my desire to do something else became greater than my desire to put on the pads, I promised myself that I would fearlessly journey onto a new path. I was just never sure when that time would come,” Thomas wrote in The Players’ Tribune.
For Thomas, 30, the time is now.
“I’m ready to admit that I’m okay with giving up the identity of 'Julius the football player.'"@Julius_Thomas on going back to school to get his doctorate in psychology.https://t.co/aXOq5NWVMv
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) August 24, 2018
The two-time Pro Bowler, whose best years were in Denver, where he was one of the best tight ends in the game, saw his production drop after leaving the Broncos.
He signed a five-year, $46 million contract in 2015 to play for the Jaguars, but he did not meet expectations and was traded to the Dolphins in 2017.
Thomas played one year in Miami, catching 41 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns, but was released by the Dolphins in March.
“Because of football I was loved, supported and encouraged by so many people from all different walks of life,” he wrote in The Players’ Tribune. “I got to experience some of the most amazing moments on some of the biggest stages imaginable. For that, I’m deeply thankful to the fans, coaches, organizations and teammates who have taken this journey with me. I simply wouldn’t be where I am today without you all. I tried to give you everything I had, and your love, support, interest and passion was instrumental in who I am. Thank you.”
Now he plans to study psychology to try and help others, including former football players.
“When I started thinking about how I can best serve others, one thing that occurred to me was, Man, I didn’t really have anybody I could call and talk to about my life who I thought would really understand,” Thomas wrote. “Someone who could understand on an experiential level. That beyond the paycheck, the physical toll this game takes on your body and the mental toll of how uncertain your future is can cause a ton of anxiety. And then it became clearer to me that my purpose was to try to become that person for others.
“And that’s what inspired me to what I’m doing now.”
Thomas began taking psychology courses in the offseason and soon realized that it was the direction he wanted to take his career.
“As I started meeting more people in the field of psychology the topic of brain injuries came up in conversation again and again,” he wrote. “Because of my football career, CTE became a pretty frequent topic of conversation. Truthfully, it wasn’t something openly discussed a lot while I was playing. There were offhand references, but for the most part, it was something we knew we were at risk for but had no idea what the risk really was. That surprised a lot of people I spoke with. And what I quickly discovered is that there was a ton of brain trauma research that I was completely unaware of, but also a ton of research that still needed to be conducted.
“I knew I wanted to help and knew that this would be a great way to help football players, to be that person who could help them understand what we all are at risk of.”
Thomas is not the first former football player to dedicate his life to studying CTE. Former Titans safety Myron Rolle retired in 2013 to become a neurosurgeon. Last year he earned his degree from Harvard, and he’s now working as a neurosurgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. His specialty is brain injuries in sports.
Thomas will pursue his doctorate in psychology to study the effects of contact sports on brain trauma and neurobehavioral performance.
“To study it not just from the perspective of a psychologist or a clinician, but also as a person who has played for several years at the highest level, is something that excites me. It fills me with a sense of purpose,” he wrote.
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