Injuries in the NFL have been brought to the forefront of the conversation this week after Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed on Monday Night Football.
Hamlin's scary injury on the big national TV stage has sent shockwaves through the NFL in every way imaginable. Players are thankful for their health, franchises are reconsidering whether they are utilizing the best practices, and fans are more aware to the humanizing element of the league.
Atlanta Falcons tackle Kaleb McGary spoke to The Athletic on the physical toll a season takes. McGary, a 2019 first-round pick who played the best season of his four-year career, has played every snap on offense for the Falcons this season.
"This time of year, it’s hard to walk," McGary said. "We joke about it and stuff, but I feel like it’s easy for people to forget on the outside what a toll this sport takes. No amount of ice can take away the toll that 18 weeks of absolute brutal, constant, physical pounding will take on your body. There’s just no way around it. It’s just an ugly part of the game, man. We try not to focus on it."
"It’s a thing that if you dwell on too much, it’s easy to get down about, it’s easy to get depressed about, and I think it makes you more likely to get hurt," McGary said. "If you’re standing there wondering if you’re going to get hurt, someone is going to run into you and you’re going to get hurt. You play slow, you risk injury more than if you are playing fast."
He also spoke about if it is harder to disregard the risks of playing football after Hamlin's injury.
It often takes shocking experiences to shake a system ... that's what Hamlin's injury did. And perhaps the system is about to receive a wake-up call very soon, if it hasn't already.
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