At some point, most American males have dreamt about being Joe Montana or Jerry Rice, or whichever generationally equivalent gridiron stars ruled their childhood Sundays.

Little did we know, and what is being increasingly exposed, is how incredibly harmful the game of football is to the human body. Data shows that every year playing in the NFL takes off two to three years in life expectancy, with the average overall life-expectancy of a pro football player hovering between 53 and 59, depending on what position they played.

And it's not like ex-NFLers are going out in a blaze of glory. Our friends at With Leather are reporting on new research suggesting that the football-related concussions we've been hearing more and more about often cause permanent brain damage and can lead to the early onset of dementia.

So would you really rather be strapping on shoulder pads than sitting in a cubicle?