Lions offensive lineman TJ Lang plans to keep playing

Detroit Lions offensive lineman T.J. Lang plans to keep playing despite recently sustaining another concussion.

Detroit Lions offensive lineman T.J. Lang plans to keep playing despite recently sustaining another concussion.

Lang, 31, visited several neurologists after his most recent concussion last month, either his fifth or sixth brain injury, per varying media reports. He said at least one expert had concerns about him returning to play, but others indicated that he could do so once he was cleared.

"The biggest question I had was, do you guys feel safe?" Lane said in comments published by the Detroit Free Press. "Do you think I'll be safe to return once I'm fully back healthy, and I think most of them said yeah. And that gave me a lot of comforts knowing that, hey, when this thing's all settled and gone, then basically hit the reset button and continue to play."

Lang brought his wife, Laura, to the consultations and admitted that the conversations were "tough." He does not remember the play that caused his last concussion, a helmet-to-helmet hit with Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith that dropped him to his knees.

"Coming off the field, I didn't really remember what happened, but the next day or a couple days after that, I watched the TV copy and didn't really want to look at it," Lang said. "Nobody really, you don't really want to see yourself in that kind of position, but this is what it is, man. It's football. There's a lot of risks in this game. It's not the first time I've been injured. Hopefully, it's the last."

Lang has appeared in 135 career games, including 119 with the Green Bay Packers before he joined the division rival Lions. He made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2017 and won a Super Bowl championship with the Packers in 2010.

The Michigan native said he might reconsider his position after this season.

"I think the offseason is definitely a time where you finally have a couple days to sit back, reflect and think," Lang said. "I mean, cross that bridge when I get there, but for right now I'm comfortable where I'm at here (in Week 7) and I'm just glad I'm feeling better."

 

(With inputs from agencies.)