NBA

Former Jets RB Jones to donate brain to science

Former Jets running back Thomas Jones has decided to donate his brain to science.

Jones, who spent three seasons with the Jets, will donate his brain after death to the Sports Legacy Institute to be studied for links to chronic traumatic encephalopathy and says he has no clue how many concussions he sustained during his football career.

“Honestly, like I couldn’t give you a number because you just play with them,” Jones told ESPN.com. “You can’t know; nobody does. I think the guys counting the concussions were the ones that got knocked out.”

The Sports Legacy Institute has received over 600 commitments from living athletes wanting to donate their brains and of 34 tissue samples received from NFL players, all but one had evidence of CTE. Former NFL great Junior Seau, who committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest last year, suffered from the condition and now Jones fears that he may fall victim to it too.

“It’s like taking a fresh, ripe apple and tapping it with your thumb over and over again,” Jones said.

Former NFL player Dave Duerson also committed suicide last year.

“His suicide, you see it on TV and it’s just news,” Jones said. “But to us, it’s more than that.”

The 12-year pro is currently editing a documentary series “The NFL: The Gift of the Curse” and has interviewed several high-ranking professionals in the CTE field and former NFL players.

“Somebody might tell me their name; I don’t remember it right away,” former defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said. “Now I kind of laugh it off but when stuff like that happens, I’ll be like, ‘Damn, I hope these concussions don’t come back to haunt us in the end.’ And if they do, I just pray someone is there to help me through the tough times that may come.”

Jones’ documentary will also discuss financial pressures and domestic violence as well as other issues that plague NFL players.

“The fans look at it as money,” Jones said, “but once you’ve bought everything you want, you realize there is more you want out of life.”