Defensive Back David Bruton Retires "To Have My Brain Functioning When I Get A Little Older"

After sustaining six concussions over eight years in the NFL, David Bruton announced his retirement to the Denver Post today.

The defensive back spent seven years with the Broncos and one with Washington—who released him midway through last season, shortly after he went on injured reserve with the sixth and final concussion of his career and just months after they’d signed him to a three-year, $9 million contract.

“I like to consider myself a smart guy. A bit of a nerd,” Bruton told the Post of his decision to retire. “So I like to have my brain functioning when I get a little older. That was a big reason.”

For the past several months, Bruton, 30, has been taking classes at the University of Colorado at Denver in order to finish the prerequisites for physical therapy school.

“At the end of the day it came down to health and being able to still get up and play with the kiddos or take the dog on the run or go do hobbies,” he said to the Post. “I just lost passion to continue playing. I felt like it was the best route for me to hang it up and pursue a different route.”

[ Denver Post]