I've been surprised how little attention this has received. That was the first thing that I thought about when his name was called. It was a one-car accident that occurred a week before his March 2019 . He wasn't wearing his seatbelt and was thrown out his side window. His actual fracture site was L3 (3rd lumbar vertebra). It was borderline unstable (instability is a sign for surgical stabilization). He would have been told that if he chose to repair with hardware, his football career would definitely be over. When a conservative approach is appropriate, back bracing is typically not needed beyond 3 months. The severity, type and location of the fracture ended up with him requiring a significantly longer than normal bracing.............much longer..............8 months continuouslly and then an additional 9 months intermittently while going through rehab. During that time, since prolonged standing or walking was not possible, he required a scooter to get around.
He came back during the 2020 season to play 7 games, then played 13 games each in 2021 and last season. Last year, he held his own, but did not light it up. If he can avoid seeing the later aftereffects of his lumbar fracture, he could find himself to be a good asset for the Texans. Keep in mind that his injury is likely to be accompanied by chronic pain, progressive arthritic changes and increased risk for further fracture.