Photo Gallery No Time for Losers
Patrick Venzke became the first German national to make a National Football League roster when he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in April 2001.
"The tackle is the biggest, heaviest and fastest guy on the field," says Venzke. "I'm six feet, seven inches tall, I weighed 331 pounds and I could run 130 feet in 5 seconds. I was as good as an Olympic sprinter. I ate 6,000 kilocalories day, including 10 to 15 eggs for breakfast." But today, everyday chores defeat him. When an American Football player retires, says Venzke, adjusting to normal life can be difficult.
Patrick Venzke only recently turned 40, but his body is ravaged. He suffers terrible backache, his left shoulder is wrecked and he also has knee trouble. He also has emotional problems and is prone to agression. Understandably, he is concerned by growing evidence that former players are more likely than others to suffer neurological disorders.
In 2013, the NFL introduced new rules designed to make the game safer. Runners and defenders are prohibited from lowering their heads and striking a forcible blow with the crown of their helmets when they are outside the tackle box.
Patrick Venzke believes some of the problems facing former NFL players have to do with social background. "These guys are usually pretty simple, they come from poor inner-cities, they lack education," he says. "Theyre cannon fodder for the NFL."
