Former Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer believes marijuana could have benefits to careers of NFL players.
Alex Marvez of Fox Sports talked with Plummer, who said he regularly uses cannabidiol (CBD) a component of a hemp plant which some believe helps physical and psychological issues. Plummer said his use of CBD made the thought of returning to the NFL cross his mind.
“I’m 41 and the Broncos need a new quarterback,” Plummer recently told co-host Zig Fracassi and me on SiriusXM NFL Radio that. “I’m not thinking about it but the thought crossed my mind because my body feels great after playing for 10 years in the league and being retired.
“I owe a lot of that to CBD and what it’s done for me.”
Plummer and Baltimore Ravens tackle Eugene Monroe have both asked the NFLPA to change their stance on marijuana and allow non-recreational usage. That’s obviously not an easy ask, given the NFL’s stance on marijuana, suspending players like Cleveland wide receiver Josh Gordon and Martavius Bryant for one-year due to violations, even after the latter claimed to use marijuana for depression.
Plummer and Monroe are trying to generate money into The Realm of Caring’s (a non-profit medical cannabis research group) initiative with Johns Hopkins University on the study of CBD and its potential link to prevent CTE. Monroe today said he’s putting $10,000 into the research himself.
As Marvez notes, the NFL and the NFLPA haven’t welcomed marijuana-related research due to the stigma surrounding the drug. Plummer said he’s not trying to make recreational use legal but wants the league to pursue funding into its potential benefits.
Given the NFL’s stiff stance on weed, I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon. If there’s any chance marijuana can help players, even in a minuscule amount, the NFL should look into it. Unfortunately, because of its legality, it faces plenty of hurdles to actually coming to fruition.
