Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

At what point was it that a serious knee injury was no longer a career killer?

Guys like William Andrews and Billy Sims as late as the mid 80's were just done, then by 95 Rod Woods on injured his knee and returned for the Super Bowl.

Related, what is that saddest career cut short due to injury?

Sayers but George Webster deserves speculation as well.
He, like Sterling Sharpe, were on their way to the HOF before their injuries. Sims, Andrews and Davis werent far behind.

One of the reasons the Jets championship in 68 was so special, was what happened in 1967 with knee injuries to Snell and Boozer. Both were great backs when healthy and especially in Boozers case, we can only imagine what he could have done as a runner and scorer. I believe he was one of pro football's best running backs in 1967.

Ottis Anderson and Priest Holmes were also on their way to the HOF before knee injuries, though I still believe both are deserving ... Edgerrin James had a bad knee injury but came back very well. Could we all imagine Butkus playing 15 years ?

Brian wolf wrote:Sayers but George Webster deserves speculation as well.
He, like Sterling Sharpe, were on their way to the HOF before their injuries. Sims, Andrews and Davis werent far behind.

One of the reasons the Jets championship in 68 was so special, was what happened in 1967 with knee injuries to Snell and Boozer. Both were great backs when healthy and especially in Boozers case, we can only imagine what he could have done as a runner and scorer. I believe he was one of pro football's best running backs in 1967.

Webster is a good one so oft forgotten. For non knee injuries I suppose Greg Cook dererves injury mention as well as Bo Jackson.

NWebster wrote:

Brian wolf wrote:Sayers but George Webster deserves speculation as well.
He, like Sterling Sharpe, were on their way to the HOF before their injuries. Sims, Andrews and Davis werent far behind.

One of the reasons the Jets championship in 68 was so special, was what happened in 1967 with knee injuries to Snell and Boozer. Both were great backs when healthy and especially in Boozers case, we can only imagine what he could have done as a runner and scorer. I believe he was one of pro football's best running backs in 1967.

Webster is a good one so oft forgotten. For non knee injuries I suppose Greg Cook dererves injury mention as well as Bo Jackson.

I kind of wonder about Cook's head, whether he had the stuff to work through adversity. Any thoughts?

Cook is a great example ...

I always wonder how good Robert Brooks of the Packers could have been without injuries and of course Ickey Woods.

Jamal Anderson's career was ruined by a knee in 2001 ...

NWebster wrote:Guys like William Andrews and Billy Sims as late as the mid 80's were just done, then by 95 Rod Woods on injured his knee and returned for the Super Bowl.

I just saw a chart that listed RBs by yards from scrimmage on a per game basis...Jim Brown was #1, and the #2 guy was Billy Sims, which I never would have guessed.

Kellen Winslow hurt his knee midway through 1984 when he was on pace for like a 1500-yard receiving season. He came back the next year but he wasn't the same player.

Don Rogers was a really tough little safety for the Cleveland Browns in 1984 & 85, but he passed away from a cocaine overdose IIRC. Joe Delaney needs to be mentioned as well.

Before long players will get a broken leg and they will just be put in a bacta tank for a few days and they will be good to go for the next game, lol.

Seemed like in the '80s, I kept hearing of RBs with a torn ACL and it would typically be career ending (Was it related to more artificial surfaces?). I thought I had heard that Dr. Andrews pioneered some new surgery for that, but I could be mistaken.

I wonder if Grange had a torn ACL. I think he missed all of '28 with a knee injury.