Former New York Jets star Mark Gastineau, one of the NFL's most feared pass rushers in the 1980s, said Thursday night he's battling serious brain issues he believes were caused by concussions in football.
"When my results came back, I had dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson," Gastineau said in an interview on WOR radio in New York. "Those are three things that I have."
Gastineau, 60, said he was diagnosed a year ago and he blames it on poor tackling technique. He called it "disturbing," but he's hoping it serves as a warning to coaches and young players.