ChiefsPlanet - View Single Post - Football Rolando McClain reportedly has Crohns disease

Mecca · 03-10-2010, 05:29 PM

Here's a guy talking about it and why it would probably hurt his draft stock...

I also have Crohn's, became very ill last year and was finally diagnosed late in the year. I lost 20 pounds and had so much inflammation in my joints that I went from being pretty fit to hobbling around like an 85 year old man with severe arthritis. As I'm sure you know when you get in a bad flare you can't maintain a high level of exercise; you're not supposed to exercise at all when you're having severe inflammation. It sounds like you've mostly been in remission but for many people Crohn's can become debilitating and require surgery or even multiple surgeries. McClain's medications obviously have kept the disease under control but that could change at any time. If you take a look at the forums at the Crohn's-Colitis foundation (CCFA.org) you'll see plenty of stories of people who were doing fine with a medication and then it suddenly became ineffective.

Absent a major flareup, most of us with Crohn's or UC can live relatively normal lives. But to maintain the level of workouts and fitness required to be a middle linebacker in the NFL for 10-12 years with Crohn's will be a big challenge for Rolando. It is frankly beyond his control, even if he does all the right things. There is the very real possibility that it could cut his career short and I'd be very surprised if it doesn't knock him down in the draft.

Do you know of any professional athlete in a sport that requires a very high level of conditioning (football non-kicker, basketball, soccer, etc.) who has Crohn's or ulcerative colitis? I am not aware of any, though I'm sure there are some.

When it's something he literally can not control, that is going to scare teams.

03-10-2010, 05:29 PM	#44
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-702950	Here's a guy talking about it and why it would probably hurt his draft stock... I also have Crohn's, became very ill last year and was finally diagnosed late in the year. I lost 20 pounds and had so much inflammation in my joints that I went from being pretty fit to hobbling around like an 85 year old man with severe arthritis. As I'm sure you know when you get in a bad flare you can't maintain a high level of exercise; you're not supposed to exercise at all when you're having severe inflammation. It sounds like you've mostly been in remission but for many people Crohn's can become debilitating and require surgery or even multiple surgeries. McClain's medications obviously have kept the disease under control but that could change at any time. If you take a look at the forums at the Crohn's-Colitis foundation (CCFA.org) you'll see plenty of stories of people who were doing fine with a medication and then it suddenly became ineffective. Absent a major flareup, most of us with Crohn's or UC can live relatively normal lives. But to maintain the level of workouts and fitness required to be a middle linebacker in the NFL for 10-12 years with Crohn's will be a big challenge for Rolando. It is frankly beyond his control, even if he does all the right things. There is the very real possibility that it could cut his career short and I'd be very surprised if it doesn't knock him down in the draft. Do you know of any professional athlete in a sport that requires a very high level of conditioning (football non-kicker, basketball, soccer, etc.) who has Crohn's or ulcerative colitis? I am not aware of any, though I'm sure there are some. When it's something he literally can not control, that is going to scare teams.
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