At 36, Antwaan Randle El Suffering From Memory Loss

By John Dodge--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Not long ago, Antwaan Randle El was a rare athlete -- a three-sport superstar in high school, then college, before becoming a Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, the former Thornton High School and Indiana University standout says he has trouble walking down the stairs and fears he's losing his mind.

He's only 36 years old.

"I ask my wife things over and over again, and she's like, 'I just told you that,' " Randle El told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I'll ask her three times the night before and get up in the morning and forget. ... I have to be on my knees praying about it, asking God to allow me to not have these issues and live a long life. I want to see my kids raised up. I want to see my grandkids."

Randle El was interviewed as part of a larger interactive feature about former Pittsburgh Steelers who won the Super Bowl X and XL. He did not say whether he has been diagnosed with any sort of degenerative brain disease, resulting from repeated blows to the head.

Randle El was drafted by the Chicago Cubs after high school, but he chose to go to Indiana, where he played football, basketball and baseball. He starred as IU's quarterback and was named the Big Ten's most valuable player, winning the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football award in 2001.

That success led to a nine-year NFL career with the Steelers and the Washington Redskins. He played his last NFL game in 2010.

Some of the players recently gathered for a 10-year Super Bowl anniversary celebration. Randle El threw a touchdown pass in that game, the only receiver to ever do that in a Super Bowl.

He now wishes he had pursued baseball, he told the Gazette.

"I wouldn't be surprised if football isn't around in 20, 25 years," he said.

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