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Linebacker Chris Borland, 24, retired from the NFL at a time when the professional sport has “never been safer,” according to a league official.

Borland announced his retirement Monday due to a concern of the long-term effects of repetitive head injuries on his life after football.

[NEWS: Borland, 24, informs 49ers he's retiring]

Jeff Miller, the NFL’s senior vice president of health and safety policy, issued a statement Tuesday morning on the topic of Borland’s unexpected retirement:

“We respect Chris Borland’s decision and wish him all the best. Playing any sport is a personal decision.

“By any measure, football has never been safer and we continue to make progress with rule changes, safer tackling techniques at all levels of football, and better equipment, protocols and medical care for players. Concussions in NFL games were down 25 percent last year, continuing a three-year downward trend. We continue to make significant investments in independent research to advance the science and understanding of these issues. We are seeing a growing culture of safety. Everyone involved in the game knows that there is more work to do and player safety will continue to be our top priority.” 

[RELATED: Borland's retirement not harbinger of end of football]