Former NFL running back Brian Westbrook is 33 years old and already dealing with the pain of memory loss, according to The Press of Atlantic City.

Westbrook has trouble with short-term memory, things such as retaining information that was just told to him, or remembering someone's name.

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The ex-Philadelphia Eagle and San Francisco 49ers great looks back on his career and knows he could have done some things differently, most of all resting more after sustaining a concussion. Per the article:

"I thought I took enough time off to rest and recuperate. I thought I was healed completely," Westbrook said, talking about coming back too quickly from a head injury that knocked him out cold. "But I got hit, I got my bell rung. I was out for another few weeks with another concussion."

Westbrook fears that the symptoms will only get worse, something all too common these days for ex-players of the NFL. Recently, tragic stories have unfolded in the cases of Junior Seau, Ray Easterling and Dave Duerson, all defensive standouts in their day who committed suicide.

While there is no proven direct link to those suicides and concussions suffered in the NFL, many doctors believe CTE - chronic traumatic encephalopathy - is what causes these issues, something that comes about from concussions. All three of those men were found to have CTE upon post-death examination.

Now, Westbrook actively talks about concussions to anyone who will listen, including LeSean McCoy of the Eagles, who tried to come back almost immediately following a concussion because the team was struggling. An excerpt from The Press' article:

McCoy told Westbrook how he wanted to play only a couple of weeks after he was hurt. Westbrook asked him, "Can you run? Can you practice? Can you think without having a headache." McCoy answered no to all. "He said, 'But we're losing and I've got to get back out there,' " Westbrook said.

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