Offseason Injuries

Injuries are an unfortunate part of football. They're expected during the season. No one expects them during the offseason. Players are taking it easy, going on vacation, dabbling in their outside interests. The closest that the players come to football is lifting weights, running. Low impact stuff. It's even more low impact with the relaxed offseason routine dictated by the new CBA. It's about as low impact as the no impact offseason of baseball. That's why the injuries so far this offseason are so shocking. Shocking in their number. Even more shocking in their severity.

The first to be struck down was Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jason Peters. He ruptured his Achilles tendon doing football drills in Texas. Reigning defensive player of the year, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs tore his Achilles tendon playing basketball in Arizona. Then came Cleveland Browns second year defensive tackle Phil Taylor. He tore his pectoral muscle while working out. Finally, Tampa Bay Buccaneers second year defensive end Da'Quan Bowers tore his Achilles tendon during the team's offseason workouts.

Three torn or ruptured Achilles tendons! In my life as a football fan I probably recall only a handful of Achilles tendon injuries. Most notably Dan Marino. Three in a span of a couple of months is incredible. You don't expect a concentration of such injuries in live regular season football action. You definitely don't expect them in the offseason months. A torn pectoral muscle isn't much fun either. All of these players will be out for a while. Many expect the entire season. Suggs says differently. So does Bowers. I hope that they are right. Their teams need them. Suggs and Peters are among the best in the league at their positions. Bowers and Taylor were expected to make huge strides in their second season.

My first thought was that these injuries were due to the relaxed offseason training. They suddenly exert themselves after doing so little. That's not really the reason. Playing basketball. Working out. Football drills. These are simple, routine activities. These are just freak occurrences. Really bad luck. I hope this luck changes. These injuries are bad enough during the season. We shouldn't be seeing them in the offseason.