Rypien says concussions led to ‘horrible mistakes’
SPOKANE, Wash. — Mark Rypien, the MVP of Super Bowl XXVI, said he has attempted suicide, hired prostitutes and suffers from persistent depression. Now the 55-year-old for- mer quarterback wonders if he sustained brain injuries while playing, and he is worried about his future even as he revealed some lurid elements of his past. “There were behaviors that were just bizarre,” Rypien said in an article published Friday in The Spokesman-Review newspaper and an interview broadcast on KHQ-TV of Spokane. His wife, Danielle, said she has also worried about Rypien’s future. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, he’s going to end up in a home,’” she said. “I didn’t want him running around the street with a shopping cart.” Rypien was a record-breaking high school quarterback in Spokane and then a star at nearby Washington State. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1986 and played in the NFL until 2002, winning two Super Bowl rings and earning two Pro Bowl selections. Since then, he appeared outwardly to live a comfortable life in Spokane. But he said that was not the case. “My story is impactful because people see me in a different light. I want them to see me in an accurate light,” Rypien said. “I’ve been down the darkest path. I’ve made some horrible, horrible mistakes. But I’ve given myself a chance to progress forward.” Rypien said he played organized football for 26 years and figures he suffered several concussions. A decade ago, his impulsive behaviors began to escalate, he said, as his aggressiveness and verbal outbursts increased. And he said he has soured on the game he played for so long: “I wouldn’t put any of my kids or grandkids in a football jersey.”
› CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns continued their quarterback makeover Friday by signing free agent
Drew Stanton to a two-year contract. The NFL veteran is expected to back up Tyrod Taylor, recently acquired in a trade with Buffalo. Cleveland is also expected to draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s draft, but Stanton — who is entering his 12th NFL season — provides experienced depth and protection in case of injuries. Since going 0-16 last season, the Browns have traded former starters Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer. Stanton, a 6-foot-3, 226-pounder, has 17 starts in his pro career, going 11-6 and passing for 4,059 yards and 20 touchdowns while playing for Detroit, Indianapolis and Arizona. Cleveland also signed wide receiver Jeff Janis, who had 17 catches in four years with Green Bay.
BASKETBALL
› CLEVELAND — Still chasing championships, LeBron James caught — and passed — Michael Jordan on one list. James broke Jordan’s NBA record by scoring at least 10 points in his 867th straight regular-season game, a streak the Cavaliers superstar could make nearly untouchable by the end of his brilliant career. James entered Friday’s game against New Orleans sharing the mark with Jordan, one of his boyhood heroes. But with one of his patented two-handed dunks midway through the first quarter, he moved ahead of Jordan, whose streak stretched from 1986 to 2001. During a stoppage in play, James was handed the ball and received a standing ovation. James last failed to score in double digits on Jan. 5, 2007, against the Milwaukee Bucks. In the time since, he has won three NBA championships; left Cleveland for Miami and returned; and established himself as one of the best players in league history. At 33, he’s playing as well as ever, and next month he’ll head into the playoffs attempting to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth straight year. To put James’ double-digit scoring mark in perspective, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s career scoring leader, scored at least 10 in 787 consecutive games. Among current players, Houston’s James Harden has done it in 257 games — 410 behind James.