'Tis the Season for Odd Injuries
Summer's coming to an end.
The weather will soon start to get cooler, and some are counting on that more than others.
One way or another, leaves will start to change color.
Coffees will soon turn to pumpkin-spiced lattes.
And, best of all, football will return.
That means a few other items will change color, too. Like bruised skin, the least worrison of the game's inevitable injury reports.
Last year, the nicks, dings, and worse took a toll on some of the NFL's biggest names.
From QBs like Tony Romo and Andrew Luck, to running backs such as Marshawn Lynch and Jamaal Charles, to wide receivers like Jordy Nelson and Kelvin Benjamin, a shipload of big-buck-making dudes went down in 2015.
Amazing as it seems, though, in last year’s NFL equivalent of the Walking Dead, the league actually experienced its fewest injuries since 2009.
What with advancements in medical technology, as well as teams actually having to tell players the truth about injuries, the league is, for the most part, safer.
Still, however safer the league may be now, unpreventable injuries are always gonna be there. This is especially true in the cases of wacky injuries.
These odd knocks can occur at any place and any time.
Just ask Philadelphia Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis, who knows a thing or two about downtime.
This time, dude was standing around minding his own business during practice -- it's a key skill for punters -- when all of a sudden, a punted football landed on his noggin.
The force of impact combined with the fact that Sturgis wasn’t wearing a helmet resulted in a concussion.
Tough break for a dude who was actively involved in a kicking competition for a roster spot.
It'd really stink to see someone sidelined who can execute kicks like this:
These injuries may be odd, but they're not uncommon. Just ask Tom Brady.
Prior to the Patriots' second pre-season game, it was announced he'd not be playing. The reason?
Apparently, the Pats' sixth-round draft choice in 2000 sliced his thumb in an attempt to clean his cleats.
That's what he gets for being next to godliness.
OK, maybe not that close.
Of course, Brady won't be losing his job anytime soon, but missing a pre-season game is an important factor for him this year. With the reinstatement of his four-game suspension by the appeals courts, dude will need all the playing time he can get to be ready for Week 5.
It's nigh on unthinkable that these two injuries will be the last examples of pain and suffering in the 2016 NFL season.
In fact, it'd be an amazement if we made it through the weekend without at least 10 or more players becoming new additions to the league's ever expanding injury report.