The list of current and retired NFL players that have come out in support of cannabis reform continues to expand. The latest retired NFL player to add his name to that list is Ryan O’Callaghan. O’Callaghan played offensive line for the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs. Mr. O’Callaghan had the following to say, according to CBS Sports:

“For people like me, marijuana is a godsend because you don’t want to take these pills.”

Below is a list that the Uncle Cliffy team has compiled of current and retired NFL players who have expressed support for cannabis reform in the league. The list also includes other members of the NFL community:

“I would like it to be like the other leagues and not test. It’s not a performance enhancing drug.” – NFL Coach Bruce Arians (Arizona Cardinals), referring to cannabis in a recent interview on CBS Sports Radio

“If you were hurting, then you could get ’em, you know. It was nothing. I mean, if you needed Vicodin, call out, ‘My ankle hurt,’ you know.” – retired NFL player Calvin Johnson, referring to painkiller availability in the NFL during an ESPN interview

“I think Jerry’s opinion, my opinion, is this program, this system has been in place for a long time. I think it needs to be heavily scrutinized in terms of its results.” – Dallas Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said about cannabis testing in the NFL in an interview with PFT Live

“If you look at Roger Goodell, every time he’s asked about (the marijuana issue) he always says, ‘We’re taking recommendations of our medical doctors.’ Well Roger, we don’t want to follow the science. We want you to lead the science.” – retired NFL player Marvin Washington in an interview with NY Daily News

“I will tell you this, if it ever comes to a point where I do need pain management, I’d feel very lucky and happy now that we have medicinal marijuana in Pennsylvania.” – NFL Hall of Famer Franco Harris in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“I will never stop pushing for the League to accept medical cannabis as a viable option for pain management.” – NFL player Eugene Monroe, via Twitter

““We make so many sacrifices, and we put our body and mind through so much that you look for holistic ways to alleviate some of those issues. This is one that I found that helps me.”- retired NFL cornerback Lito Sheppard in an interview with Philly.com

“If we want to save football, then we’ve got to start looking at solutions, not just count concussions. Cannabis is that potential savior.” – retired NFL player Kyle Turley, in an interview with Freedom Leaf

“How do we do it in society right now? How does that affect the way a player sees his situation in that lens?’ And then make decisions based on that.” – Dallas Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said about cannabis testing reform in the NFL in an interview with PFT Live

“Marijuana’s already keeping the game afloat. Roughly half of those guys are already using it every week. They have to keep it a secret, though. If they get caught they get fined or suspended. It’s a really uncompassionate stance to take.” – retired NFL player Nate Jackson, via an interview with The Guardian

“The NFL is reviewing its position on medical marijuana. They’re really reviewing their whole pain management regimen and how those things are handled, but if you don’t mind me giving you my personal feeling (why the hell would I mind?), I feel in any state that has approved medical marijuana (as 28 states hosting 20 of the NFL’s 32 teams have), the league should remove medical marijuana from being a banned substance.” – NFL Hall of Famer Franco Harris in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“If the NFL got behind this, this would go a long way to breaking down the walls and barriers that are there. Not only in society, but in sports leagues. I know marijuana is not the problem in the NFL. I know what the problem is — it’s concussions and opiate addiction.” – retired NFL player Marvin Washington in an interview with NY Daily News

“I’ve never had any side effects from smoking herb or even the edibles….It’s a medicinal herb. It’s not a drug. When we get over the stigma of that, I think we’ll be better off in this country.” – retired NFL player Jim McMahon, at the Southwest Cannabis Conference and Expo

“What happens is we love to take care of the players when they’re playing. But when we get done and after the five years of insurance runs out, these guys are strung out.” – retired NFL player Jake Plummer, in an interview with Fox Sports

“I will do everything I can to ensure the generations of NFL players after me won’t have to resort to harmful and addictive opioids as their only option for pain management.” – NFL player Eugene Monroe, via Twitter

“I’ve talked to a number of people and I know there have been studies that show the science behind medical marijuana in relation to pain management. I’ve talked to people who’ve been in pain due to falling off a roof or being in a car accident and they have praised medical marijuana and how it helped them. The science is there to support its benefits with seizures, epilepsy, a lot of different conditions. It’s not addictive and, to me, this is just one of the most important things we can do for people.” – NFL Hall of Famer Franco Harris in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“My experience with cannabis has taught me that it is a far better option than the pills that get shoved at players .” – retired NFL player Boo Williams, during an interview with NBC Sports

“There is no excuse for us to say we don’t know enough anymore about a plant that has grown from the ground for thousands of years and used as medicine around the world.” – retired NFL player Kyle Turley, in an interview on ESPN

“I know medicinal marijuana has been a Godsend for me. With my chronic pain, all my surgeries I’ve had. The arthritis. It’s getting me through the day. I would hope the governor would get on board with this. It’s helped so many people: epileptics, cancer patients… It helps me every day. I feel a heck of a lot better than when I had to take all those pain pills.” – retired NFL player Jim McMahon, per MLB Reports

“Pain every day is not good, not a good quality of life, so pain management is very important. I would put it this way. I know the league is starting to have more open discussion on this at this time. And I know what a big step for them. It’s not something they take lightly. I like that it’s open to discussion. I’m hoping that they realize that pain management is very important to current and past players and if past players are going to be involved with medical marijuana and that it’s legal, I don’t see why current players shouldn’t.” – NFL Hall of Famer Franco Harris in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

“I want to change the stigma of this plant. I know it can help.” – retired NFL player Marvin Washington in an interview with NY Daily News

“Current NFL policy does not allow for every potential option in mitigating pain. The NFL says it’s doing everything it can. It’s not.” – NFL player Eugene Monroe, during an interview with Sports Illustrated

“I feel like the NFL has a responsibility to look into it, to delegate time and money to research this for its players. Given how much influence that the NFL has on society, I think it would help the greater good. There’s a lot of people suffering and a lot of people that can benefit from cannabis as a medical treatment.” – NFL player Derrick Morgan, in an interview with Yahoo Global News

“It’s about not only us, but former players, future players and more so society as a whole.” – NFL player Derrick Morgan, speaking about cannabis research in an interview with Yahoo Global News

“I think the NFL just needs to loosen up the rules and let everybody live.” – retired NFL player Randy Moss, when asked by Talking Football whether he supported removing cannabis from the NFL’s banned substance list

image via Wikipedia