Now we're seeing it's not that simple, and that's a tough pill to swallow

My wife and I recently took a last-minute trip to the Grand Canyon. No time to buy hiking shoes, I wore an old pair I already had. I knew they weren't the best for the terrain, but I hoped my comfort and familiarity with them would give me the best chance at completing the hike.

Marvin Lewis could have just waited for the medical staff to give him a thumbs up or thumbs down. Instead he came out to watch for himself and make sure I was ready before he put me back out there. I appreciate him for that.

My second year, I was a couple of weeks into rehabbing a dislocated elbow when Geno Atkins tore his ACL, and I felt the pressure to get back. The training staff took me out to the practice field to run drills and see if I was ready.

Agree with Jeff Saturday that Sirianni shouldn't have fielded the Hurts health questions alone. They knew what was coming. The GM and someone from the medical staff should have been up there with him. But I disagree that head coaches have no say in whether a player is ready.

I know it's not what fans want to hear. But I'm reserving judgment until this staff gets a chance to recruit their guys, build their identity, and show us what this team is all about.

I set my expectations right then. After the first few games, fans put huge expectations on this team. Inside the building, they knew exactly what they were up against. I didn't want to say it before Campbell did.

He said no. Some will see that as him dodging the high expectations from the start of the season. It's not. Before the season, I asked someone inside the program how the team looked. They told me, "We've got some scrappy guys, but it's going to be a difficult season.

In today's press conference, @audsnyder4 asked the question I've been waiting weeks for someone to ask. She asked Matt Campbell if he was surprised by how hard it's been to bring this Penn State roster together, especially with how they've played in the Big Ten.

Chest pain & shortness of breath

We need to be careful using words like "amazing" and "committed" when athletes make these types of decisions. They're dangerous and shouldn't be celebrated. You don't see it while you're playing, but once you retire, you realize how hypnotized you were.

Herniated disc against Steelers. Had surgery. Could’ve came from surgery or from flying a week after surgery.

Unfortunately, psychological safety starts at the top. Coaches under pressure to win pressure doctors and trainers to clear star players. Players feel it from ownership, coaches, staff, and fans. Most won't speak up. It's job security, acceptance, and not wanting to look soft.

Blood clots aren't something you play through or fake. They can kill you. I'm grateful my family pushed me to get help, and I'm praying for Jalen's full recovery.

Because I was still playing, I had the insurance to help pay for her treatment. If my career had ended that January, our story looks very different.

Three or four months later, the clots were gone and I was cleared to play. A few months after that, my daughter Leah was diagnosed with cancer.

Then they told me I might never play football again. The treatment is blood thinners, and you can't play on them. One big hit can cause internal bleeding you can't stop.

Doctors found multiple blood clots in my lungs that started in my calves. They told me if I hadn't come in when I did, I would have died.

Football trains you to fight through pain. That's what I was doing. My wife and my dad saw how much pain I was in and forced me to go to the hospital. I went reluctantly.