Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals want what’s best for John Abraham

TEMPE, Ariz. — Whether or not linebacker John Abraham wants to continue playing in this his 15th NFL season is a decision he is expected to make in the coming days.

The Arizona Cardinals received a temporary roster exemption — which they used to re-sign linebacker Marcus Benard — as Abraham contemplates retirement.

“He and I had a long conversation yesterday on whether or not he wants to continue to play,” head coach Bruce Arians said Wednesday. “While he’s going through the (concussion) protocol he will determine if he wants to continue playing football, whether his heart is still in it and he has the fire and desire to do it.”

Abraham, 36, suffered a concussion, taking a knee to the head, early in the third quarter of Monday night’s win against San Diego.

Apparently, the concussion spurred Abraham to reconsider his playing future.

“For whatever reason if that game on Monday Night Football and that atmosphere didn’t have you flying around like always or more, then something is missing,” Arians said. “That’s basically what he reflected to me. He said, ‘there were times in that game I wasn’t in it and that’s not fair to my teammates. I’ve got to decide if this is what I still really want to do.’

“Now I did not see the evidence of that. In his play, I thought he played his tail off.”

Abraham played 38 snaps, including 36 on defense, but did not record a tackle.

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