NEW YORK (CBSNewYork\/AP) \u2014 Mark Gastineau is trying to help sack safety issues in football.
And the former New York Jets sack-dancing star wants to use himself as an example of the dangers of playing the game.
The 60-year-old Gastineau said during a radio interview Thursday night with Pete McCarthy on 710 WOR Radio in New York that he was diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer\u2019s disease and Parkinson\u2019s disease about a year ago.
\u201cIt\u2019s disturbing,\u201d Gastineau said. \u201cBut it\u2019s disturbing to the point where I want to get out and I want to help other youths and help other people coming into the game. Right now, I\u2019m able to do it.\u201d
Mark Gastineau (Photo by Rick Stewart\/Getty Images)
The Jets\u2019 career sacks leader, who was known for his entertaining dances after taking down quarterbacks from 1979-88, believes his issues are largely related to his hard-playing style.
\u201cWhen my results came back, I had dementia, Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s,\u201d Gastineau said. \u201cThose were three things that I have. \u2026 It\u2019s something that I want every player that goes out and plays to be protected in the best way they can be protected.\u201d
MORE : Trump Taps Jets Owner Woody Johnson As Ambassador To UK
Gastineau was promoting USA Football\u2019s Heads Up Football program, which focuses on making the game safer. The former defensive end says the techniques the program teaches could have helped prevent his health issues.
\u201cI\u2019m not going to say that I\u2019m not going to let my child play when I know there\u2019s techniques out there that if I would have had them,\u201d Gastineau said, \u201cI know that I wouldn\u2019t have the results that I have now.\u201d
Gastineau said he learned the \u201chead, stick and hands\u201d technique as a youngster while playing the game at various levels.
\u201cWhen we would hit each other, I mean, you heard pops like a shotgun going off,\u201d he said.
Gastineau plugged the USA Football program a few times during the 30-minute interview, and insisted he didn\u2019t want his situation to \u201covershadow\u201d what \u201cHeads Up Football\u201d can do to help young players continue to play the game \u2014 but safely.
\u201cI want it to be a warning to mothers and fathers to be able to put their kids in safe places,\u201d he said, \u201cto be able to carry on a team sport that I think is going to be way far more beneficial for them than if they didn\u2019t have that in their lives.\u201d
He also disagreed with former football and baseball star Bo Jackson, who recently said he wouldn\u2019t allow his children to play football.
\u201cI think that if he would have known about the Heads Up program, I don\u2019t think that he would have said that he never would have let his kids play,\u201d Gastineau said. \u201cThe only reason that I would allow my child to play is because of this USAFootball.com. I would not allow my child to play if I did not have this Heads Up Football. There\u2019s no way in the world. You cannot expect your child not to be injured if you do not enter this program.\u201d
Gastineau insisted that, despite his health issues, he has no regrets when it comes to his football career.
\u201cI am so happy that I went through the times, the trials and things that I went through in the NFL,\u201d Gastineau said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t trade them for anything.\u201d
(TM and \u00a9 Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)<\/p>\n

\n

\nSimilarity rank: 2.1\n<\/div>\n

Sentiment rank: 0.6<\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n