The Body Bag Season
Injuries are part of the game, especially at the NFL level. But this season has seen way more than we bargained for. Big name quarterbacks, critical role players, nobody is safe. Let’s break it all down.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, Deshuan Watson, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, and Kirk Cousins are all believed to be done for the season. Kenny Pickett is also in limbo. Most of these injuries have derailed once promising looking seasons. Somehow, the Browns of all people are still alive and doing well. Herbert going down for LA is the nail in the coffin for the Chargers and their head coaches job. Nine starting QBs going down in one season is unprecedented.
Weapons
Nick Chubb, JK Dobbins, Tim Patrick, Mike Williams, Cam Akers, Jakeem Grant, Tank Dell, Kendrick Bourne, and Russell Gage are some key skill position players that in all likelihood we will not see again this season. You have got to feel bad for Patrick, who now has two season ending achilles injuries in a row. Dobbins is also between a rock and hard place with two season ending injuries close together. Running backs getting hurt won’t help the cause of getting them paid more fairly. Nyheim Hines was hurt before camp in a non-football related injury involving a jet ski and Damien Harris needed to get stretchered off for the Bills as they have been hit hard with injuries this season. We may see Harris again, but we don’t know yet.
Defense and Others
Two big name corners went down quick in Trevon Diggs and Tre’Davious White. There’s more where that came from. Matt Milano, Talanoa Mufanga, Grady Jarrett, Emmanuel Mosley, Uchenna Nwosu, Kwon Alexander, Cole Holcomb, Matt Judon, Jalen Phillips, and most recently Yannick Ngakoue highlight the list of defensive players done for the season. To quickly touch on a few offensive linemen, Jedrick Wills, Connor Williams, and Alijah Vera Tucker are also not coming back barring a miracle.
This is not good folks. The debate of having grass instead of turf will for sure pop up again. It’s been ongoing for a while now as knee injuries in particular stack up, as well as achilles issues. The NFL keeps trying to make the game safer in terms of rule changes regarding to the way the game is played. I respect it, but the biggest issue may be so glaring and they refuse to recognize that it is right in front of them.