Treat your health with respect: even tough guys need to take care of themselves.(My Turn)

Let me tell you the difference between the NFL 15 years ago and the one today: It's a little word called respect. When did respect for the game and for your opponent get tossed aside to make room for showboating?

The game is meant to entertain. I don't see the entertainment value in players making a mockery of their opponents. As great an athlete as Terrell Owens is, I think he's a pain in the butt.

Randy Moss is another knucklehead, but we haven't seen him on the field much lately. That's what happens when a player thinks some silly personal record means more than his health. By going back out on the field before he was ready, he cost his team.

Moss' situation aside, teams do a much better job nowadays when it comes to handling injured players. Back in the old days, we played through the pain because we didn't know any better. We were scared not to; somebody else might take our jobs. Plus, we were crazy. We would just take an injection and head back onto the field.

I'm here to tell you that approach doesn't work anymore, whether you're a player or a fan. The league has asked me to help promote its Tackling Men's Health program. The goal is to teach men to be more proactive when it comes to their health and to not ignore problems. Heart disease, diabetes and prostate cancer can be defeated if you have the right game plan.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to pay attention to your body. If you notice potential warning signs, go see your doctor. Don't wait until you suffer a heart attack, like I did when I coached the Bears. Don't forget to exercise and eat right, ...