Eight concussions. A shoulder replacement. A broken leg. A fused neck.
Former Atlanta Falcons defensive back Bobby Butler can still clearly recall the medical history he wrote during 12 NFL seasons. In a sport where memory loss is rampant among older retirees, that makes him one of the lucky ones.
“Yeah, I know a lot of guys who are struggling,” said Butler, who will turn 54 on Tuesday. “We all do. We try to laugh about it. I just try to live life as it goes.”
Butler will be one of a number of former NFL players running the “Heads Up” clinic at McCallie School on Saturday regarding the right way for young players to tackle and the proper procedure for handling concussions.
The free clinic runs from noon to 3 p.m. and youth league, middle school and high school players and coaches are all urged to attend.