Since the turn of the century, the practice of vasectomies has seen a steady increase throughout the United States. With more and more American men beginning to favor the permanent method of birth control, the trend has finally reached the likes of the nation’s premier sportsmen.
Advertisement
Known for having large families and multiple children, an ever-increasing amount of professional athletes have shown an interest in undergoing the procedure. Among them is former Pittsburgh Steeler and 13-year NFL veteran, Ryan Clark.
During the latest installment of the We Playin’ Spades podcast, Clark detailed his motivations behind electing to undergo a vasectomy. After the birth of his third child, the one-off pro bowler eventually realized “That was enough.”
However, Clark explained that his decision was ultimately the result of a conversation that he had with his wife.
“I wanted number four. My wife told me she did not want number four, and I had to respect that. She was like ‘I had these babies, so you’re going to help us stop having these babies.’ And that was a decision.”
Thankfully, for Clark and his wife, the procedure seems to have been a success. However, others have not been as lucky.
Former first-round draft pick and San Diego Charger, Antonio Cromartie, underwent the same procedure as Clark did following the arrival of his 11th child. Unfortunately, for the four-time pro bowler, the operation seems to have been a failure. In 2017, Cromartie welcomed his 14th child, his third since undergoing the procedure.
In an attempt to explain the phenomenon, Dr. Ajay Nangia, of the University of Kansas Health System, joined ForTheWin’s Charles Curtis to inform readers about the process following a vasectomy.
In noting that patients are encouraged to still use birth control in the immediate months following the procedure, Nangia highlighted that patients are also expected to report back for a follow-up appointment in order to ensure that there is no remaining sperm, otherwise referred to as a “zero count.” After mentioning that there remains a 1 in 2000 chance of pregnancy following confirmation of a zero count, Nangia clarified that
“We don’t know if he got any confirmation of his ‘zero.’ Surely by the fact that he had one kid after his vasectomy should have been a red flag.”
Former Philadelphia Eagle, Jason Kelce, also admitted recently that he is currently considering a vasectomy as well. With his wife, Kylie, preparing to give birth to their fourth daughter, the once-great offensive lineman believes that it may be time to consider “the V word.”
In a recent appearance on TNT’s Steam Room, Kelce revealed that this fourth pregnancy has been a tough one for his wife.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily about wanting a boy because, at the end of the day, we’re not shooting with good percentages… We’ve got to give up on that idea. It’s more about, ‘Do we want to have another child?’ And if we want another one, we’ll do that.”
While he may never get the successor to his football throne that he had hoped for, perhaps it’s best that the former Eagle takes note of the aforementioned players and their experiences. Either way, the last era of athletes has ensured that their championship genes will live on through the coming generations.
