Ex-Jets star Bart Scott reveals he retired from NFL over head injuries

Following Tua Tagovailoa’s recent concussion, Bart Scott shared the reason behind his retirement from the NFL during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Friday.

The former linebacker, known for his time with the Jets, revealed that visual issues ultimately led to the end of his NFL career.

Scott was released by the Jets in 2013 due to salary cap reasons, and despite receiving interest from other teams, he made the decision to retire at the age of 32 after a successful career.

“Everybody thinks I retired because of my toe,” Scott explained, referring to his toe surgery before retirement. “But really, it was because I started seeing spots and lights. I had light sensitivity.”

Scott further shared, “I didn’t know what to do. I was like, you know what? It’s time to fold it up,” revealing this information publicly for the first time.

This revelation comes in the aftermath of Tagovailoa’s third concussion since 2022, which occurred during a recent game.

Tagovailoa, 26, managed to stay injury-free in all 17 games last season but has faced head injuries throughout his career.

Scott, who was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in 2006, played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2002-08 before joining the Jets and playing a key role as a starting linebacker.

During his time with the Jets, Scott was instrumental in the team’s success, reaching the AFC title game in consecutive seasons (2009 and 2010).

Throughout his career, Scott amassed 747 tackles, 25 sacks, six forced fumbles, and four interceptions, starting in 118 of his 172 games.