Jeremy McGovern opened up about his recent retirement decision during an episode of the podcast Unfiltered with host Hamish McLachlan. The conversation provided insights into McGovern’s journey, his struggles with injuries, and the emotional challenges surrounding his departure from professional football.
For the record, in the 2023 season, McGovern hasn’t played more than six games. He suffered an unfortunate blow in Round 8 when he was subbed out with a right shoulder injury suffered in a marking contest. Of all the injuries, this was the most worrisome, especially considering McGovern’s past issues with concussions.
Over the course of his distinguished career, McGovern appeared in 197 games. In addition to these accolades, he was named a five-time All Australian Football player. His contract still runs for one more year. Now he has to make the hard choice of weighing the physical risks of pursuing his AFL career with the truth about his health later in life.
The former wide receiver was brutally honest about the day he knew that he would never play football again. He shared the story of how a selection committee came to him, showing that the decision had been already made for him. “I knew my AFL career was over when the selection panel finally tapped me on the shoulder,” he added. This moment of realization was a huge turning point in his life. He eventually made peace with the fact that his professional sporting odyssey was going to end this way.
Reflecting on his past experiences, McGovern admitted that he often resisted medical advice to withdraw from games, even when he was aware of his injuries. “I was kidding myself when trying to convince myself I could make it through a game while injured,” he stated. He understood that sometimes, you have to choose health over athletic ambition.
They are out there serving you, so take care of them! If you are a player, you should appreciate how hard that is to do. That willingness, he added, was reflected in how medical professionals helped shape his career choices.
As McGovern looked to his future, there was an overriding sense of relief. He was relieved that the decision regarding his retirement was out of his hands. He concluded with a strong message regarding the balance between sport and health: “Is it worth the risk for long-term health? No.”
