GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The last two years of Don Majkowski's life have been what every current and former NFL player fears. The once-great quarterback who seemed poised to turn around the Green Bay Packers in the early 1990s is now experiencing nearly every possible downfall the game of football can present to those who played it.

Only 49 years old, Majkowski has been in significant pain and agony. The player who used to attack defenses with reckless abandon struggles simply to leave his house these days.

"I haven't worked, I haven't coached, I haven't done anything," Majkowski told FOXSportsWisconsin.com. "It's very difficult to even sit for five minutes. It's been a nightmare."

The list of Majkowski's physical problems is lengthy and includes everything from degenerative disk disease in his neck and back to post-concussion syndrome. But his issues started with his left ankle. He's had 11 surgeries on it, including back-to-back fusions after the first attempt didn't work.

"It's just locked in place now," Majkowski said. "I can't move my foot at all."

Majkowski's ankle problems began on a memorable day in Packers history. On Sept. 20, 1992, he tore a ligament in his ankle, opening the door for 22-year-old backup Brett Favre to make his Lambeau Field debut. Favre led the Packers to a comeback win that day and started his next 297 NFL games. Majkowski – a rare combination of talent and swagger dubbed the Majik Man while finishing second in NFL MVP voting to Joe Montana in 1989 -- never took another snap in Green Bay and signed on as a backup with the Indianapolis Colts the next season.

Three years later in 1996, by then with the Detroit Lions, Majkowski damaged his ankle further. He underwent surgery by Dr. James Andrews in June of that year and was told it would be a three-month recovery process. Sitting out for three months would have meant not playing in the preseason, which could have cost the then 32-year-old a backup job with the Lions.

"My ankle was 60 percent, and they needed me to start a preseason game in Detroit," Majkowski said. "They asked if I could be dependable. I went out there and played and it numbed up. I tore it up, and it's affected me the rest of my life. That's what messed it up real bad.

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Notice how the coaches aren't screaming at the refs. Ditka takes it like a man.

Originally Posted by: rabidgopher04 

That's the game that began my fanhood to fanatical.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

I am sorry Don has had a lot of health issues but I really can't feel too bad for him.

First he would do it all again.

Second he will let his son.

Third there are hundreds of players who went before him that have had serious injuries. Like Pack93 says he knew the risk before he signed on.

Fourth he didn't let his body heal and that compounded the injury.

Fifth retired NFL players are not the only ones who get shafted on Work Comp. My father in law was driving a CTA bus one night when the police were involved in a high speed chase when the car slammed into the back of the bus. (Over 80 mph in Chicago!) There was no question whatsoever that my f-i-l was due compensation. Not only for his medical bills but his pain and suffering and the permanent disability it caused. Believe it or not there is a fund that the city has to compensation people when the police dept does something wrong. Like not breaking off pursuit when it got that excessive. Dad got nothing other than his bills paid and they really tried to get out of paying them too. I think he got a couple of thousand for disability but that is a fraction of what he should have got. Basically the city stalled and antagonized him until he gave up. It doesn't make it any more right for the NFL to stick it to the old players but they are not alone in this situation and they got paid a whole lot more than Dad ever did so at least they had a little more to fall back on when forced to retire.

Originally Posted by: wpr 

I had a mentor in Toronto who experienced something similar. He was in an accident. For 9 years he tried to find lawyers to take up his case, but the Insurance company for the other side would go behind the scenes and make them and offer they couldn't refuse. He finally just gave up and took a modest settlement.

What I advocate is taking the responsibility into your own hands. Do what you need to do to ensure your wellness, and this means NOT relying on doctors to fix you. All the prognoses in their Mosby's physician manuals are based on... THE AVERAGE AMERICAN.

There is much than can be done, let's take the case of Majik Man here. I'm not saying he could be completely healed. I haven't even done an intake on him. But there is MUCH that can be done for these people. Most of it is considered "alternative and complementary" medicine, but there is much that can be done.

Originally Posted by: nerdmann