Indiana's Zander Diamont On Quitting Football: "I Need My Brain"

Indiana backup quarterback Zander Diamont didn’t specify how many concussions he’s had due to football, but he ballparked it at “a lot.” The junior has decided to step away from the sport after the Hoosiers’ bowl game. Diamont’s reasons were simple and sound. From the Indianapolis Star:

“I think that for my safety and my future—I’m not going to the NFL—I need my brain. So that was the decision.”

In the context of that announcement, the word choice of Diamont’s perspective on his final play of Saturday’s 26-24 win over Purdue is rather fitting: “I was just trying not to get hit. I was just concerned about that mostly, just running for my life.”

Diamont plans to graduate next summer, and mentioned going back to Los Angeles to look for a job in the “entertainment industry.”

[ Indianapolis Star]