As Tom Brady said there is always a 100% injury rate in the NFL and Achilles injury is one of the most common as most of the NFL stadiums have artificial turf.
15 NFL stadiums have artificial turf surfaces whereas the remaining 15 have either grass or hybrid grass. Many players have raised their voices for installing grass at stadiums which could prevent many injuries.
Although there is no guarantee that installing grass in the stadiums will completely rule out Achilles injuries, there sure will be fewer.
Artificial turf has resulted in 16% more injuries per play than on grass and when it comes to non-contact injuries, the percentage rises to 20 per play.
Turfs are faster and since football is a contact sport, the velocity and collisions go up. Players too prefer to play on grass rather than turfs but the changes are far from happening anytime soon.
Apart from the turf and grass debate, football itself is a type of sport that has frequent starts and stops alongside jumping and running. The tackles and stops too contribute toward Achilles injuries.
NFL Players With Achilles Injuries
Football players with Achilles injuries in 2023 are:
- Kirk Cousins - Minnesota Vikings
- Aaron Rodgers - New York Jets
- Marlon Mack - Arizona Cardinals
- JK Dobbins - Baltimore Ravens
- Tre'Davious White - Buffalo Bills
- Tim Patrick - Denver Broncos
- Dallis Flowers - Indianapolis Colts
- Ventrell Miller - Jacksonville Jaguars
- Raekwon McMillan - New England Patriots
- Eno Benjamin - New Orleans Saints
- Al Woods - New York Jets
- Alijah Vera-Tucker - New York Jets
- Zech McPhearson - Philadelphia Eagles
- Shaun Bradley - Philadelphia Eagles
- Armani Rodgers - Washington Commanders
Kirk Cousins
The Minnesota Vikings quarterback is the latest to have a torn Achilles NFL. He suffered the season-ending injury on October 29 against the Green Bay Packers.
He tore his Achilles during the fourth quarter of the Week 8 matchup and was placed on the injured reserve (IR) list on October 31.
Cousins had a 4-4 record in the ongoing season with a 69.5 passing completion percentage and had already racked up 2,331 passing yards for 29 passing TDs.
Aaron Rodgers
After a historic trade in April which saw Rodgers being traded to the Jets after spending 18 seasons with the Packers, his new journey was cut short in his debut game.
Rodgers suffered a ruptured Achilles NFL on his left ankle after he was sacked by Bill's Leonard Floyd. He too misses out on the entirety of the season.
The earliest date for his return is currently set for mid-January if everything works out well.
Marlon Mack
Marlon Devon Mack also suffered an NFL Achilles injury during practice. Mack has torn his Achilles for the second time and misses the entirety of the season.
The running back had signed with the Cardinals on August 4 and within a week, he suffered the injury and was placed on injured reserve.
Tre'Davious White
Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White Sr. is another starter who is set to miss the remainder of the season. He tore his Achilles tendon during the Week 4 matchup against the Miami Dolphins in the third quarter.
He had started all 4 games of the 2023 season and had recorded 12 combined tackles.
Tim Patrick
Patrick was added to the injured reserve on August 2 after suffering a torn Achilles during practice. This is the second consecutive season that he has been placed on IR before the start of the season.
He had suffered a torn ACL during practice the previous season. The wide receiver will only be eligible to play in the next season.
List Of The Worst Football Injuries
The list of some of the worst football injuries are:
- Darryl Stingley - Paralysis
- Johnny Knox - Spinal Cord Injury
- Nick Chubb - Broken Leg
- Tim Krumrie - Broken Leg
- Destry Wright - Dislocated Right Ankle and Broken Leg
- Napolean McCallum - Knee Injury
The NFL has seen its fair share of the most gruesome of injuries since the sport is very physical in nature. There is no doubt that the nature of injuries is some of the worst since there is a lot of contact during plays.
Darryl Stingley
Former New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley suffered a horrific injury during a 1978 preseason game against the Oakland Raiders.
Stingley collided with defensive back Jack Tatum while stretching for a pass. His helmet struck Tatum's shoulder pads which resulted in the compression of his spinal cord and broke his fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae.
Stingley was only 26 when he was part of the on-field accident and was set to become one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL. His injury resulted in him spending his life as a quadriplegic.
Johnny Knox
Johnny Knox's blow while attempting to recover a fumble is one of the most heartbreaking injuries in sports. The sheer force at which he collided with Anthony Hargrove is harrowing to watch.
The Chicago Bears wide receiver and return specialist suffered the horrific injury on December 18, 2011, against the Seahawks. The collision caused Knox to sustain a serious spinal cord injury and required immediate surgery to stabilize an injured vertebra.
He could not recover completely and had to call it an end to his NFL career in 2013. He still walks with a limp and has a lot of discomfort while standing.
Napolean McCallum
McCallum suffered one of the most painful knee injuries in all of sports. He suffered the injury in 1994 against the 49ers when Ken Norton Jr. twisted McCallum to the ground.
When both players went down, McCallum's cleat stuck on the ground and what followed next was horrific. His knee was forced into dislocation and suffered a complete hyperextension of his left knee.
He had ruptured his artery in the knee, tore three ligaments, tore the hamstring and calf from the bone, and also had nerve damage in the left knee.
In order to save his leg from amputation, McCallum had to be airlifted, and lucky for him, the surgery had gone as planned. The injury was so horrific that the surgeon said that these types of injuries only happen during car accidents.
Nick Chubb
One can only wonder about the pain Nick Chubb had to endure when he suffered a devastating blow to his knee. The visuals of the injury were very disturbing and will miss the entirety of the 2023 season.
Chubb suffered a torn MCL and a damaged ACL during a Week 2 game against the Steelers in the very same leg where he had sustained a gruesome injury back in 2015.
Tim Krumrie
The two-time Pro Bowl selection of the Cincinnati Bengals suffered a grotesque injury to his left leg during Super Bowl XXIII against the San Franciso 49ers.
Krumrie attempted to make a tackle on Roger Craig when his weight put pressure on his left ankle joint and caused a snap above the joint.
He had broken both his tibia and fibula and had to have an inflatable splint brought to the field to stabilize his leg. Krumrie later had to surgically implant a 15-inch steel rod to stabilize his broken leg and was all set to play the very next season.
Destry Wright
The type of injury that Destry Wright suffered during the preseason game is straight out of a horror movie. The preseason game against the Cowboys was the last he ever played.
Wright dislocated his right ankle and broke his right leg. He lay on the ground in agonizing pain with his left leg pointing to the ground while his right leg was pointing to the sky.
How Long Does A Ruptured Achilles Take To Heal?
A ruptured Achilles usually takes about 4 to 6 months to heal and in some cases, it may take up to twelve months as well. It does vary individually.
The Achilles tendon is a thick band of tissue that connects or attaches your calf muscle to the heel bone. It is also the strongest and largest tendon in the human body.
When it comes to athletes, having a strong and well-trained Achilles tendon is a must as it is responsible for providing the strength to your leg to walk, run, and jump.
There are many ways one can rupture their Achilles tendon either completely or partially.
- Tripping
- Twisting
- Sudden starts, stops, or pivots
- Falling or landing after a jump
Any type of injury is a part and parcel of sports as well as daily life. A ruptured Achilles usually occurs while playing sports. There is always a question surrounding the salary of a payer if they sustain a long-term injury.
The CBA has made it a point to make sure that each team is obliged to pay its players their respective salaries while they are rehabilitating for their injuries.
The amount to be paid by the club however is completely based on the individual contracts of the players.
