Warning Signs of the NFL’s Injury Problems Came Early in the Season

The first week of October football had disastrous consequences.

Chris Carson
Chris Carson #32 of the Seattle Seahawks is taken away on a cart after an injury in the fourth quarter of the game against the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on October 1, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

We’ve known for half a decade now that the NFL has a gravely serious injury problem, and nothing has made that more clear than the damage done in this year’s Week 4. On the first two days of October, nearly 40 players suffered significant injuries, including stars Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones, and Marcus Mariota. In the newest issue of Sports Illustrated, Greg Bishop tracks Week 4 hour-by-hour through the perspective of Seahawks rookie RB Chris Carson, who broke his left leg in the day’s final game. Week 4 offers a catalyst for understanding the insane extent of the physical trauma NFL players suffer every game.

 

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