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SALT LAKE CITY — Former Roy Royal and BYU Cougar Jim McMahon will be inducted into the Utah Sports Hall Of Fame Tuesday night along with Ron McBride, Marv Fleming, Billy Casper and Michelle Lewis.
For McMahon, just being able to walk into the ceremony is a big win.
"I used to just lay in bed all day until I had to do something," McMahon told KSL on Sunday.
McMahon has been diagnosed with early dementia, which he said was basically crippling him with head and neck pain. Now, he is undergoing treatment in New York that alleviates the pain. He said it allows him to function normally, more so than he has been able to in years.
While at BYU McMahon set 71 national records. He went on to play 15 seasons in the NFL, including leading the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl win.
He also has suffered from medical conditions related to head trauma.
McMahon spearheaded a lawsuit against the NFL which claimed the NFL didn't do enough to make players aware of head trauma during their playing days. A $765-million settlement was reached.
"It's not about the money, it's about educating the younger generation about what they can expect if they keep playing the way we did," McMahon said.
Besides talking about dementia and lawsuits, McMahon also discussed his effort to obtain a degree at BYU, and some of the "antics" he used during his playing career.
You can hear the complete interview by playing the video.
