Clint Session Could Face Career Decision

The Jacksonville Jaguars reported for practice on Friday to hit the Florida Blue Health & Wellness Practice Fields for training camp. The team began training camp with six players placed on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), one of which was linebacker Clint Session.

Session is still dealing with concussion like symptoms from the 2011 season, a season which Session suffered two separate concussions (two confirmed by the team). Session's second concussion, which came against the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, forcing the Jaguars to put the linebacker on injured reserve.

Back in April, Session enrolled in a concussion treatment program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Session had had trouble sleeping for more than two hours a night, napping, or even eating without feeling nauseous. Session claimed that the following month after undergoing the treatment he hadn't had any concussion-like symptoms.

Fast forward to July 27 however, and Session is missing the start of Jaguars training camp because he's still having concussion like symptoms.

"It's definitely a concern," Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey told the press after practice on Friday, regarding Session's symptoms. "We don't know the future with him."

Session is going to have to face the very real possibility that the last concussion he suffered could quite possibly be career ending. Session told Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union in April that if he had to guess, he has suffered five concussions in his life. With at least two, possibly three, coming in the past nine games and the emphasis on concussions now, Session may need to hang up his cleats for his own safety.

While players like Sidney Crosby and Justin Morneau have been able to come back and play after a long period of time off the playing field dealing with concussion like symptoms in their respective sports, the NFL is an entirely different animal.

While some, including myself, have speculated that Session could find himself a camp casualty this season, it may come to the fact that he may be forced to retire from football.

While it stinks the Jacksonville Jaguars may only get nine games out of a player they signed to a five-year, $29 million deal with $11.5 million in guaranteed money, the safety and long term health of Session is what really matters.

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