American football is considered to be one of the most dangerous sports out there. It is a contact sport that involves massive bodies colliding into each other, which often causes various severe injuries.
According to statistics, in 2019, during the preseason and the regular season, there were 224 concussions. Concussions are a common occurrence in football. Recently, many doctors believe that repeated injury to the head caused by football may cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE.
CTE is a degenerative brain condition. A former NFL player was diagnosed with it in the early 2000s. It has been a concern for many because currently, more than 100 former NFL players have received a postmortem diagnosis.
NFL injuries are hard to avoid, especially with a sport that requires physical contact like tackles and lunges, to win. A lot of rules for safety were made. But despite that, there have been quite a few injuries that resulted in many ended careers. Below are some of the worst and memorable injuries in the NFL:
Darryl Stingley
The injury caused to Stingley was considered a pivotal moment to the rules about player safety. The New England Patriots wide receiver was trying to catch an off-target throw when he was hit by Jack Tatum, also known by the moniker “The Assassin” of the Raiders. The defenseless receiver was hit on the shoulder, to which he then suffered compression of his spinal cord. He also broke two of his vertebrae. He never regained use of his arms or legs ever again and died in 2007 due to an illness brought about by quadriplegia.
Rashad Johnson
Johnson, who was the defensive back player of the Arizona Cardinals, had found out he had lost the tip of his middle finger after he took off his glove back in 2013. He had just recovered a punt return against the Saints when he had made the gruesome discovery. Johnson did not know how it happened but underwent surgery that night to shave down the bone that was sticking up. In an interview, he also stated, “If I had to take a guess, I would say maybe it dug into the turf there and snapped back and broke it that way. My glove wasn’t torn or ripped, which makes me think it didn’t get caught in a face mask or a cleat stepped on it.”
Johnny Knox
During the final game between the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks, Knox, who was a wide receiver, had caught a pass over the middle of the field, but then fumbled and lost the ball. As he was about to recover it, he collided with Anthony Hargrove, who was also going after the ball. He suffered multiple fractures in the vertebrae and nerve damage. He had to undergo spinal fusion surgery and rehab. But despite it, his career was already over, and he retired afterwards.
Joe Theismann
Back in 1985, the Washington Redskins had a match with the New York Giants. While they were attempting a flea-flicker play, quarterback Theismann was sacked by legendary linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Taylor had fallen onto the Theismann’s lower right leg and broken it. Everything was caught on national television, which makes it one of the most infamous injuries in the NFL. The quarterback had suffered a compound fracture, and a part of his leg bone was sticking through the skin. Because of the injury, his 11-year career had ended.
With such life-threatening and horrendous injuries, no wonder the NFL is a sport worth betting on. The level of sportsmanship and dedication that these players show hype up so many fans and bettors alike. Bookmaker sites also contain categories and features for NFL betting. These give various opportunities to place bets for those who adore the sport.
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