Joe Marler, the former England rugby international and Celebrity Traitors finalist, has spoken candidly about his health, admitting that if his playing career has caused brain damage, the “damage is done already.” The 35-year-old, who played for Harlequins for 13 years and earned 95 caps for England, told The Times he adopts a “head in the sand” approach to potential neurological issues.
“If I have damaged my brain, then the damage is done already. I’d rather not know,” Marler said. “I’m a head in the sand kind of guy. There’s not a lot I can do about it now. As long as you are aware of the dangers, then it is up to you whether you choose to play the sport or not.”
Post-Rugby Physical and Mental Toll
Since retiring in 2024, Marler has built a second career as a podcast host and television personality, reaching the final of Celebrity Traitors before losing to Alan Carr. However, the transition from professional sport has been challenging. He described the dramatic drop in exercise after retiring as affecting him “physically and mentally.”
“When I stopped playing, the drive and the motivation dropped off,” he said. “Slowly each week I was melting like a wheelie bin. I was feeling really bad about myself. I’d look in the mirror and think, ‘Oh God, what’s happened to me?’” Marler now goes to the gym four or five times a week and reports feeling “so much better physically, but mainly emotionally and mentally.”
Struggling Without Team Structure
In a separate interview with GQ, Marler admitted he struggled with the loss of team camaraderie after rugby. “Yes. I struggle with not being part of a team…I definitely underestimated after rugby how much that would affect me, being on my own a lot,” he said. He reached out to former teammates who reassured him that his feelings were normal.
“I reached out to a couple of them and said, ‘Lads, this is how I'm feeling. I'm really struggling.’ They were like, ‘That’s completely normal, this is how we felt — the lack of structure, the lack of connection day to day with the same people, the lack of purpose, getting after something every week, each month, every season.’ So I went, ‘When does it pass?’ And they were like, ‘Mate, it's fine. It takes about five years.’ And I went, ‘Really!’”
