Jim Plunkett Says 'My Life Sucks,' Lives in Constant Pain from Football

Jim Plunkett spent 15 seasons as an NFL quarterback from 1971-86, with all those years of punishment taking a heavy toll on his body. 

In an interview with Elliott Almond of the Bay Area News Group, Plunkett said his "life sucks" and it's "no fun being in this body right now. Everything hurts."

A former No. 1 overall pick by the New England Patriots in 1971, Plunkett is forced to regularly take 13 pills throughout the day for various health issues, including his heart and blood pressure, per Almond. 

"There are a couple other drugs I take—I can’t know them all," Plunkett told Almond. "I’ve got to take them every day to quote-unquote survive."

Former San Diego Chargers running back Hank Bauer told Almond that playing football is like "getting in 50 car wrecks a week for 20 straight weeks a year."

Plunkett was one of the most successful quarterbacks in college and the NFL during his playing days. He won the 1970 Heisman Trophy while playing at Stanford, was named AFC Rookie of the Year in 1971 and led the Raiders to two Super Bowl titles in 1981 and 1984. 

The 69-year-old Plunkett has had a litany of health issues both during and after his NFL career. He's undergone 18 surgical procedures to repair his back and to give him artificial knees and an artificial shoulder, according to Almond.