ESPND: Graziano: How bad is Jason Witten's injury, really?

[WoodysGirl]

Aug 17
11:15
AM CT
By Dan Graziano (http://search.espn.go.com/dan-graziano/) | ESPNDallas.com

In Adam Schefter I trust. All others must show MRI results. In his latest mailbag (http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/blog/_/name/schefter_adam/id/8277378/nfl-mailbag-jason-witten-injury-darren-mcfadden-backup-more) http://assets.espn.go.com/i/in.gif, Adam discusses the Dallas Cowboys (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/dal/dallas-cowboys)' concern over the severity of tight end Jason Witten (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/4527/jason-witten)'s spleen injury, and he doesn't offer Cowboys fans any warm, comforting thoughts about it:

The Cowboys don't know the extent of the injury right now, which suggests that they should be worried. They're going to have to wait another week or so to determine whether he needs surgery. Right now, the Cowboys are of the mind that Witten will not need surgery. But if something changes, and he does, he would be sidelined indefinitely.
I stand by what I wrote on this the other day: There is no possible way for the Cowboys to replace Witten. They can talk all they want about John Phillips (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/12550/john-phillips)' development, and Phillips may well be a good player and an acceptable tight end. But it's a long way from "good player and acceptable tight end" to Witten and what he means to Tony Romo (http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/5209/tony-romo) and the Cowboys' offense.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/cowboys/post/_/id/4695828/how-bad-is-jason-wittens-injury-really

[Yakuza Rich]

Graziano has more trust in Shefter than myself. Remember, he was the guy reporting of a 'schism' in the Viking locker room in Favre's first year...which was laughed at by Vikings players and local Vikings media which led to Jared Allen's hilarious quote of not knowing what a schism was and it sounded like a STD and that they practice safe sex on the Vikings.

It's possible that anything *could* indeed happen with Witten. But from all reports that if he needed surgery, he would need it immediately and not be able to deal with the pain. That and I don't think Witten really needs the preseason at this point of his career.

To me, this is different from trying to determine ligament damage and how it will affect a player. I could be wrong, but I'm not overly worried about it.







YR

[burmafrd]

bottom line is that they have to wait and see if the bleeding stops on its own. If it does not then they have to cut him.

[erickb]

I messed up my spleen and a kidney in really bad dirtbike crash, I coded (lost pulse) while waiting to be seen :eek: Lots of enternal bleeding from spleen and kidney, still not right and it's been over a year. I don't think his is as bad, but they let mine heal on it's own vs cutting me open because of all the trauma my body had already been through and it takes sometime.

[Bungarian]

This article implies that we will get new information. Instead it rehashes stuff already known.

[ravidubey]

I think the best thing for Witten's health would be PUP and come back midseason. Maybe miss the entire season.

[WoodysGirl]

I think the best thing for Witten's health would be PUP and come back midseason. Maybe miss the entire season.
Witten is not eligible for PUP.

I *think* there was a change in the rules to where he could be put on some sort of temporary injured list, but would not be on IR.

[Fletch]

I messed up my spleen and a kidney in really bad dirtbike crash, I coded (lost pulse) while waiting to be seen :eek: Lots of enternal bleeding from spleen and kidney, still not right and it's been over a year. I don't think his is as bad, but they let mine heal on it's own vs cutting me open because of all the trauma my body had already been through and it takes sometime.

Ok.... In a nutshell.... All-World TE for Americas' Team with all-world doctors and specialists vs. loser dirt -biker. Got it! JK I feel for ya bro. Hope all is well. :smiles:

[erickb]

Ok.... In a nutshell.... All-World TE for Americas' Team with all-world doctors and specialists vs. loser dirt -biker. Got it! JK I feel for ya bro. Hope all is well. :smiles:

I hope that was your attempt to be funny with the J/K FYI Trauma Doctors/Team in a top hospital are worth a lot more then NFL Team docs IMO and as far as the loser comment um yea, my life is great and if my life = loser then I will take it any day of the week and twice on Sunday

I was just giving first hand info on a similar injury, nothing more nothing less.

[fortdick]

Ok.... In a nutshell.... All-World TE for Americas' Team with all-world doctors and specialists vs. loser dirt -biker. Got it! JK I feel for ya bro. Hope all is well. :smiles:

Really no need to call dude a loser.

[marchetta]

Ok.... In a nutshell.... All-World TE for Americas' Team with all-world doctors and specialists vs. loser dirt -biker. Got it! JK I feel for ya bro. Hope all is well. :smiles:

Come on man! Dude was near death. Have a little compassion. I know you thought you were being funny, but you weren't. Just insensitive. JMO

[Bungarian]

I think the best thing for Witten's health would be PUP and come back midseason. Maybe miss the entire season.

While I respect you opinion I don't think you have enough information to make that call.

[BoysFan4ever]

I am kind of confused. In Garrett's press conference he said that Jason needed to stay still..be idle for some days. But then I read that Jason was at a walk thru practice. Seems like that was kind of foolish if the goal is to keep him still.

[ravidubey]

Witten is not eligible for PUP.

I *think* there was a change in the rules to where he could be put on some sort of temporary injured list, but would not be on IR.

I was thinking the regular season PUP list with eligibility to come back after six regular games. Has that rule changed?

My point was such an action would take the decision out of Witten's hands and allow him to get better. Without that, no one would try and come back harder or be more ready to risk injury than Jason Witten. Better to not let that be an option for his own sake.

If he's injured to the point where he can't move without pain, well, if it were me I'd be very, very cautious.