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Mark Schlereth NFL Arthritis

Man of Mettle: Mark Schlereth

As a three-time Super Bowl winner, Mark Schlereth is no stranger to a little pain. He played guard in the NFL for 12 seasons (1989–2000) with the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos, and after a series of nasty injuries cut his professional football career short, Mark began fighting his toughest opponent – osteoarthritis.

Now retired from football, Mark, tells his story in the November/December issue of Arthritis Today magazine.

“You can’t feel sorry for yourself,” says Mark. “When things don’t go the way you planned, you’ve got to keep fighting.”

Mark’s upbeat worldview and belief that quitting is never an option shone through during his photo shoot last month. And that positive attitude, he says, has always helped.

These days, he has good and bad days for pain, although bending his knees is always painful and his back gives him trouble, especially after sitting for extended periods. Yoga and working out on the elliptical help when he’s feeling bad.

“I come from a family of incredibly hard workers,” he says. “If I complained as a kid about somebody getting lucky, my father would stop me mid-sentence and say, ‘The harder you work, the luckier you get.’”

You can read Mark’s full story in our latest edition of Arthritis Today magazine. Mark, a friend of the Arthritis Foundation, will share his story with volunteers and other Foundation supporters of the 2016 Conference of Champions Nov. 3 to 4 in Denver.

A Message From Mark

Check out Mark Schlereth sharing his excitement about the upcoming Conference of Champions with Arthritis Foundation volunteers!

*Content based on Arthritis Today magazine article by Timothy Glover.