Does the NFL Condone/Encourage Hiding Injuries.........From Their Own Players?

[CloakNNNdagger]

You would hope not, but............

Fred Taylor: NFL doctors never told me about shoulder injuries
9:59 AM CT

• Mike DiRoccoESPN Staff Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor says he was never told by doctors during his 13-year career that he had suffered a fractured collarbone and injuries in each shoulder.

Taylor said on his official Twitter account Wednesday morning that he underwent a full orthopedic exam in Chicago last week, and 11 MRIs and 12 X-rays revealed that he had partially torn labrums in each shoulder and at one point suffered a fractured clavicle.

Taylor tweeted that the doctors he was referred to by the NFL never informed him of those injuries.

THE REST OF THE STORY

 

[JB]

Did he not know he was hurting?

 

[Double Barrel]

Did he not know he was hurting?

Seth Payne said awhile back that players are expected to play through pain, but not injuries.

If the doctors were not being honest with a player about an injury and maybe implying it was a strain or bruise instead of something more serious, I can see players just dealing with pain management because they do not want to lose their starting positions. Just speculation on my part, but it makes sense.

 

[JB]

Seth Payne said awhile back that players are expected to play through pain, but not injuries.

If the doctors were not being honest with a player about an injury and maybe implying it was a strain or bruise instead of something more serious, I can see players just dealing with pain management because they do not want to lose their starting positions. Just speculation on my part, but it makes sense.

Yeah that does make sense, but seems to me that if the pain persisted, and it must have with those type of injuries, the player would seek a second opinion outside of team recommended doctors. I'm pretty sure they had/have that right

 

[Double Barrel]

Yeah that does make sense, but seems to me that if the pain persisted, and it must have with those type of injuries, the player would seek a second opinion outside of team recommended doctors. I'm pretty sure they had/have that right

I agree, man. But, tbh, I'm not sure if some of these players really want to know what's up. I don't have a multi-million dollar job on the line, and I've been lax over the years about finding out about my health problems. It took staying in the hospital for intense pain to pull my head out and find out the problem. So I can only imagine the pressure these guys are under to perform or risk losing their job, much less career. I'm not condoning it, but do see the human nature that could be behind some of it (on both sides).

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

Seth Payne said awhile back that players are expected to play through pain, but not injuries.

If the doctors were not being honest with a player about an injury and maybe implying it was a strain or bruise instead of something more serious, I can see players just dealing with pain management because they do not want to lose their starting positions. Just speculation on my part, but it makes sense.

There is a distinction between playing "hurt" and playing "injured." "Hurt" is supposed to specifically denote pain, while "injured" is supposed to specifically denote structural damage and can be associated with or without pain. NFL players have been groomed to and have always been expected to play through pain and is considered commendable. Trying to play through an overt injury falls more in the category of stupid. But when a player is made to believe or overtly told that he is dealing only with pain when indeed it is known by the coaching, training and medical staff that he is injured, it balances on the verge of criminal. I have a feeling that this happens more than we would like to believe, especially since most players trust and won't question their "overseers".................and don't usually fall in the category of mensa.

 

[bah007]

 

[Texecutioner]

The NFL has had so much corruption going on that seems to leak out every few months to where nothing would surprise me.

I would bet my bottom dollar this is true as well as countless others.

 

[Texecutioner]

Good reference. Lol!

 

[Brisco_County]

I was just coming here to post this.

This is something we've always suspected. It became obvious that this practice was part of the culture when we watched the Redskins medical staff let RG3 go back out on the field on a compromised knee.

And right now I suspect they're keeping Watt uninformed about the required timeframe to recovery from a microdiscectomy. And they can do that because he fully trusts them.

Coaches, owners, and the league itself get away with this meat grinder business model by hiding behind the unquestioned credentials of medical staff. There is no business interest for them in allowing a player to extend his career when they have the bottomless talent pool of so many colleges piping in fresh meat. The short term gain of fielding injured players isn't short term when replacements are infinite.

If this story busts open, included among the fallout will be a new skepticism of sports medicine, which is a shame in itself.

 

[PapaL]

Here's a case where a player said he was injured but the team disagreed. He gets released, picked up by another team and fails his physical.

K’Waun Williams wants Browns to pay for surgery on injured ankle
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...s-browns-to-pay-for-surgery-on-injured-ankle/

Just because the Cleveland Browns released cornerback K’Waun Williams doesn’t mean that their disagreement surrounding his ankle injury is going to end any time soon.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Williams is seeking for the Browns to foot the bill for surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle. He failed a physical with the Chicago Bears on Wednesday after they claimed him off waivers from Cleveland.

“We’re requesting they pay for his medical treatment and hopefully they’ll respond appropriately,” Williams’ agent Evan Krakower said.

The disagreement over the extent of Williams’ injury led to the Browns suspending him for two weeks after being absent from practices. Williams was sitting out due to his ankle. The Browns thought he should be on the practice field.

The Browns ultimately released Williams on Monday. However, Cleveland just starting waived Williams instead of using the waived/injured designation. The latter would have led to the Browns continuing to be responsible for his injuries.

Krakower claims that two independent doctors have both concluded that Williams needs surgery to correct the issues with his ankle. Failing a physical with the Bears would also seem to confirm the notion that Williams is not healthy enough to play football at this point in time.

A grievance filed with the NFLPA would be a likely next step if the Browns don’t agree to taking care of Williams ankle issues. The NFLPA is already been involved as Krakower filed an appeal over Williams’ suspension as well.

 

[Scooter]

Yeah that does make sense, but seems to me that if the pain persisted, and it must have with those type of injuries, the player would seek a second opinion outside of team recommended doctors. I'm pretty sure they had/have that right

I could very well be pulling this out of my ass, but I think seeking a second opinion outside of the organization isn't seen in a favorable light, especially for relatively minor injuries. That may also factor into his and others not pushing the issue. I have no idea when or where I heard it, just that reading your post clicked a memory.

 

[Wolf]

Makrs me think of when i was watching ken Caminiti as a kid..i always wondered how hurt he really was. That guy looked like he could barely walk and yet he was playing..i knew he had to be taking steroids. Just a random flashback