Why this rising college football star retired to begin a sports tech startup
Former North Carolina lineman Tommy Hatton was a rising star, but he gave it all up after suffering a series of concussions.
“On Aug. 3, 2016, I received a routine hit in practice that left me in a concussion state for close to four months,” Hatton told FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on Wednesday. “During that time I consulted with some of the best neurologists in the nation, including Kevin Guskiewicz here at UNC, alongside my amazing family and we came to a conclusion that I should medically retire from football.”
Hatton decided that his health was more important than money.
“Life is so much greater than football,” he said. “Football teaches you amazing things – how to work good with people – how to be goal oriented – how to just work with teammates, and I took those lessons and took it to whatever’s next in my life.”
Since walking away from football, Hatton has co-founded sports tech startup Learn to Win. While injuries associated with life on the gridiron are impossible to eliminate, he said, teaching better techniques and fundamentals at a young age would make the game safer.