Possibly the two most gifted and intelligent people I've ever met who also played pro football quit the sport much sooner than they had to. One did so 42 years ago. The other did so on Thursday.
Both played their college ball at Penn State.
I always suspected John Urschel was too bright to keep rationalizing his love of football over the good sense dictating that he should get out before he damaged that beautiful mind. And this morning that premonition was borne out. The 3-year starting guard for the Baltimore Ravens informed his head coach John Harbaugh that he was getting out at age 26.