Retirement Age: 24 With a cocky attitude and a Harvard diploma, Chris Nowinski was a ready-made heel from the time he stepped off the Tough Enough set. WWE snatched him up, and while his in-ring work left something to be desired, he was a young competitor with plenty of time to improve. In June of 2003, during a tag team match against The Dudley Boyz, a mistimed kick to Nowinski's chin gave him a serious concussion. Unaware of the danger surrounding such an injury, Nowinski continued to wrestle. After several more matches, Nowinski's symptoms - including headaches, memory loss, insomnia, and depression - worsened to the point where he could no longer compete. Searching for answers, Nowinski spent the next year trying to find treatment before ultimately deciding to give up on his dream of wrestling. After a few years away from the sport, Nowinski's symptoms began to improve, though they still persist. In order to prevent other athletes from suffering the same fate - or worse - Nowinski helped found the Concussion Legacy Foundation (previously the Sports Legacy Institute). Working with Dr. Robert Cantu, Nowinski has helped raise awareness regarding concussions and has undoubtedly made WWE a safer place to work.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013