Carson Palmer's injury might be career-ending

Thomas Veil · Jan 13, 2006

Boy, the people in Cincinnati have gotta feel jinxed if the worst comes to pass:

Doctor calls Palmer's injury 'devastating'

NFL.com wire reports

CINCINNATI (Jan. 12, 2006) -- Carson Palmer's knee injury was "devastating and potentially career-ending," involving numerous ligament tears, a shredded ligament, damaged cartilage and a dislocated kneecap, his surgeon said.

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback tore ligaments in his left knee when he was hit by Pittsburgh's Kimo von Oelhoffen on his first pass during the Steelers' 31-17 playoff victory.

The team announced that he had torn the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments. The damage was much more extensive and severe, but Dr. Lonnie Paulos said surgery went well and Palmer could be back for the start of the season.

Palmer had surgery Jan. 10 in Houston. Doctors used grafts from other parts of his body and donated tissue to fix the damage during an operation that lasted more than two hours. Palmer headed back to California on Jan. 12 to do his rehabilitation.

"It's not just like it was a torn ACL," Paulos said in a phone interview from Houston. "It's a magnitude more difficult to recover from and repair. It can and has ended careers, without a doubt.

"However, I feel very comfortable with Carson as an athlete and the heart that he's got. In the end, that's the bottom line. I can see the look in his eye already. He's ready to get going."

Paulos, an orthopedic surgeon who has worked with the U.S. Ski Team since 1983, replaced the anterior cruciate ligament, which runs through the middle of the knee and provides stability. He said the medial collateral ligament, which runs along the side of the knee, was damaged "real bad."

"On a scale of 1 to 3, it was a 4," he said. "It was off the chart. It was pretty badly damaged -- shredded is the better term."

Actually, that article is rather maddening. His injury was horrible and the kind of thing that ends careers...but he might be back by the beginning of next season.

I feel for the Bengals fans. Things were finally going so well, and now this happens. Even if Palmer makes the start of the 2006 season, it's entirely possible he'll never be the athlete he could've been.

Bummer.

Link

tobefirst ⚽️ · Jan 13, 2006

It's VERY possible that he'll never be the same again. My doctor told me when I had surgery to repair a torn ACL, that I might never be able to be as active again...from "just" an ACL tear. With all of the other damage that was done, it will be a long and painful road to recovery for Palmer. I wish him the best.

saunders45 · Jan 13, 2006

I watched that game, and started freakin' out when I saw him go down, and yet he still completed the pass. He was the single reason I won my fantasy football league, and I love his playing abilities. If only the Bengal's defense was better, they would be a HUGE force to contend with. I was very sad to see him go down as I believe his is phenominal QB. That said, the fact that both Palmer and Henry went down on the first drive was the reason the "Stealers" won. Kitna sucks.

Lord Blackadder · Jan 13, 2006

Wow, that's a terrible injury - his knee is basically destroyed. If they get him back on the field it will be a minor medical miracle.

Even if he comes back to play he will never be the same again though, in terms of mobility and risk of re-injury....a huge shame.

Counterfit · Jan 13, 2006

They had the right guy do the surgery. Someone who spends 22 years with a top ski team will see lots of knee injuries.

Lord Blackadder · Jan 13, 2006

If it wasn't for skiing, most orthopedic sugreons would probably starve to death for lack of work...

rosalindavenue · Jan 13, 2006

Good news-- the doctor has changed his tune.

"I believe and regret that media reports based on interviews with me have misinterpreted my view of Carson Palmer's knee injury. Though the injury was serious, the essential fact remains that his ACL and MCL have been repaired.

"I would consider this a typical ACL-MCL football injury. Comments attributed to me that the knee injury was 'devastating and potentially career ending' were meant to describe such injuries in general. I was accurately quoted by The Associated Press that my bottom line is optimism regarding Carson's prognosis. With a successful rehabilitation program, he has an excellent chance of being medically cleared for play at the start of the 2006 regular season."

Paulos, in the AP interview Thursday, said the damage was more severe and extensive.

"It's not just like it was a torn ACL," Paulos told the AP. "It's a magnitude more difficult to recover from and repair. It can and has ended careers, without a doubt."

LINK

Applespider · Jan 13, 2006

If he doesn't come back, it will be devastating for him, the team and the Steelers lineman who inadvertently caused it. By all accounts, he's a good guy and to end someone's career is likely to make him feel dreadful. I do question why this has been released though - and why by the surgeon rather than the team? The surgeon has to let the team know so they can plan accordingly (and resign Kitna presumably) but why go public?

Profootballtalk.com makes an interesting point about why this story may have come out. The current favoured ortho surgeon for the NFL is on the way out and Paulos wants 'in'. What better way than leaking that Palmer's knee is very bad so that he looks even more like a genius (not saying he's not an extremely talented surgeon) if it heals? And if it doesn't, then he doesn't take the heat in the summer when it comes out that Palmer's done.

Cfg5 · Jan 13, 2006

All acl's are potentially career ending. It's more of a threat to a wide receiver or running back who puts a lot of stress on his knees. Pocket quarterbacks aren't mobile, so I don't think it's a huge issue. He'll be back next year.

LethalWolfe · Jan 13, 2006

rosalindavenue said:
Good news-- the doctor has changed his tune.

"I believe and regret that media reports based on interviews with me have misinterpreted my view of Carson Palmer's knee injury. Though the injury was serious, the essential fact remains that his ACL and MCL have been repaired.

"I would consider this a typical ACL-MCL football injury. Comments attributed to me that the knee injury was 'devastating and potentially career ending' were meant to describe such injuries in general. I was accurately quoted by The Associated Press that my bottom line is optimism regarding Carson's prognosis. With a successful rehabilitation program, he has an excellent chance of being medically cleared for play at the start of the 2006 regular season."

Paulos, in the AP interview Thursday, said the damage was more severe and extensive.

"It's not just like it was a torn ACL," Paulos told the AP. "It's a magnitude more difficult to recover from and repair. It can and has ended careers, without a doubt."

LINK

I don't think the Doc changed his tune, I think he's just clarifying what he said was blown out of proportion by our sensationalistic media. From the get go he said it was really bad, but that he expect Palmer to return from it. The media just latched onto the "really bad" part and down played the rest.

I think the hardest part for Carson will be the mental aspect of the recovery. Will he still be comfortable in the pocket? Will he get spooked and make mistakes when the d-line gets too close? Will he hang in the pocket to make a completion even though he knows he's going to get hammered? Will he be able to keep his edge?

Lethal

m-dogg · Jan 13, 2006

That's too bad.

ACL injuries scare the heck out of me as a skier. A friend of mine's knee has never been the same since his was injured.

Also, Cincinnatti college basketball player Armein Kirkland tore his ACL last Monday against UConn. He is a senior and it is too far into the season to be redshirted, so his college career is essentially over now.

zimv20 · Jan 13, 2006

Applespider said:
the Steelers lineman who inadvertently caused it. By all accounts, he's a good guy and to end someone's career is likely to make him feel dreadful.

indeed, you could see immediately afterwards that he was concerned.

i'm a steelers fan, and though i'm happy they won the game, this is not the manner in which i wanted them to win. even if the injury was inadvertent.

MacAztec · Jan 13, 2006

Cfg5 said:
All acl's are potentially career ending. It's more of a threat to a wide receiver or running back who puts a lot of stress on his knees. Pocket quarterbacks aren't mobile, so I don't think it's a huge issue. He'll be back next year.

True, but a torn ACL is horrible for a quarterback. Watch a quarterback drop back, every single play there is a ton of stress on his knees.

Blind Buzzard · Jan 13, 2006

What if....

Man- We finally have a successful season, and see what happens! Oh yes, I have cursed some nameless god somewhere that will not let me see another Super-B with Bengals participation.........

But seriously - Do you think that it is possible that Palmer and his Agent may have pushed litigation on old Doc for what he was saying to the media without his clients consent?

MacNut · Jan 14, 2006

Palmer may have also wanted the Doc to talk so people would know that his career isn't over. What's worse for a quarterback with a promising future then reports that his career is finished, That does not help with endorsement deals.

itgoesbuzz · Jan 14, 2006

MacAztec said:
True, but a torn ACL is horrible for a quarterback. Watch a quarterback drop back, every single play there is a ton of stress on his knees.

true, but at least these days it is known that you can come back from the dreaded torn ACL injury. athletes are coming back from it like we never thought they would.

zimv20 · Jan 15, 2006

saunders45 said:
the fact that both Palmer and Henry went down on the first drive was the reason the "Stealers" won.

hm, looks like the "stealers" may be a decent team after all, eh?

zach · Jan 15, 2006

yeah.
i'm a bengals fan too, and trust me after the game i was saying the only reason the steelers won was 'cause Carson got hurt (and i still believe it) but after today you can't say the steelers aren't the real deal... i mean, if jerome hadn't fumbled there wouldnt' even have been a missed field goal to "rob" the colts.
steelers won fair and square today and maybe they would have given the bengals a game if Carson wasn't hurt

zimv20 · Jan 16, 2006

fwiw, the nfl admitted that the official who overturned the polamalu interception blew it. good thing the steelers won anyway.

itgoesbuzz · Jan 18, 2006

yeah that call was a joke, when that was reversed i thought that colts had the game for sure

Carson Palmer's injury might be career-ending

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