Achilles Injuries in NFL Players (1 Viewer)

[tdmills]

I did a small study, but it got lost in the Michael Crabtree thread. I was wondering what are the odds he returns to 100%. I gathered as many NFL players as I could and compared their pre/post Achilles stats(if you have more players to add, feel free to post).

Two notes:

1-Within the brackets is the year they tore their Achilles tendon

2-I only noted if it was a full or partial tear if I found it. Not many indicated the severity.

Players with torn achilles:

Greg Ellis DL(2006)

Suffered injury 9th year in the NFL. Averaged 6.5 sacks per year before the injury and 9 sacks per year in the 3 years after the injury.

Jon Beason LB(2011)

Suffered injury 5th year in the NFL. Suffered knee/shoulder injuries in 2012.

Takeo Spikes LB(2005)

Suffered injury in 8th year in the NFL. Had 96 or more tackles in each of his first 7 years in the NFL. Had 96 or more tackles in only 3 of last 7 years after the injury.

Antwan Odom DE(2009)

Suffered injury in 6th year in the NFL. Didn't record a sack and only played in 4 games after injury.

Marlin Jackson DB(2010)

Suffered injury in 6th year in the NFL. Didn't play in a game after the injury.

Leon Hall CB(2011)

Suffered injury in 5th year in the NFL. Averaged 4.5 INT's prior to injury, had 2 last season(post injury).

Terrell Suggs OLB (2012, Partial tear) http://www.nfl.com/n...-a-partial-tear

Suffered injury in 9th year in the NFL. Averaged just over 9 sacks per season before injury, had 4 sacks in 12 games after injury.

Jason Peters LT(2012/2012)

Hasn't played since injuries.

Mikel LeShoure RB(2011)

Suffered injury in rookie year. Averaged 3.7 YPC after injury, 3rd worst of runner near 800 yards rushing or more. Only worse were Trent Richardson and Michael Turner.

Earnest Graham RB(2011)

Suffered injury in 8th year, hasn't played since.

Lendale White RB(2010)

Suffered injury in 5th year, hasn't played since.

Demaryius Thomas WR(2011, partial from what I can find)

Suffered injury after rookie season. Had one okay and one great season after injury.

Andre Brown RB(2009)

Suffered injury his rookie season. No notable stats until 2012 when he had over 450 total yards with 8 TDs.

Dan Marino QB(1993)

Don't really think he applies due to being a QB, but his yardage totals/ TDs weren't as good post injury(although they weren't terrible).

Jon Jansen OT(2004)

Suffered injury during his 7th season in the NFL. Started 3-4 post injury and was a backup for 1 more year.

Ron Curry WR(2004/2005)

Suffered injury during 3rd and 4th years in the NFL. Played in only 3 more seasons =2006 had 62/727/1 with 11.7 ave, 2007 had 55/717/4 with 13.0 ave, and 2008 19/181/2 with 9.5.

Lavar Arrington LB(2006)

Injured during his 7th NFL season, never played again.

Derrick Burgess DE (2003)

Injured during his 3rd NFL season. Had 6 more years post injury with seasons of 16 and 11 sacks.

Jamir Miller LB (2002)

Injured during his 9th NFL season. Never played again.

Julian Peterson LB (2004)

Injured during his 5th NFL season. Played 6 more year post injury with seasons of 10 and 9.5 sacks.

Todd Pinkston WR (2005)

Injured during his 6th NFL season. Never played in a regular season game again.

Brandon Stokley WR (2006)

Injured during his 8th NFL season. Played 6 more seasons, while he never matched his 1,000 yard season, he had three 40 reception seasons.

Bryan Thomas DE/OLB(2011)

Injured during his 10th NFL season. Played in only 1 more NFL season with below average stats based on his career.

Never played again= (6) Arrington, Lendale White, Earnest Graham, Marlin Jackson, Jamir Miller, Todd Pinkston

Not effective= (1) Antwan Odom

Adequate but not on the same level (determined by pre stats or expectations) = (5) Ron Curry, Jon Jansen, Dan Marino, Takeo Spikes, Bryan Thomas.

To be determined= (6) Jason Peters, Mikel Leshoure, Leon Hall, Terrell Suggs, Jon Beason, Andre Brown

At or better post injury= (5) Greg Ellis, Demaryius Thomas, Derrick Burgess, Julian Peterson, Brandon Stokley.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Jamir Miller LB (2002 preseason game) never played again.

Was coming off his best season - 83 tackles, 18 assists, 13 sacks, 1 interception, 4 forced fumbles, 14 passes defensed.

2001 1st Team All-Conf.Pro Football Weekly

2001 1st Team All-NFL Associated Press

2001 1st Team All-NFL Pro Football Writers

 

[Jene Bramel]

Add Derrick Burgess, Julian Peterson, Todd Pinkston, Brandon Stokley, Bryan Thomas.

 

[GroveDiesel]

I don't know what the difference is between a frayed and torn Achilles is, but DT Kyle Williams had surgery on his left Achilles last year and on his right one this February. Both were described as "frayed".

 

[tdmills]

Included the new players, thanks for letting me know.

I excluded Kyle Williams due to your "frayed" description. This should be a full tear only study, but I also included partial. I wish more of these injuries were classified one way or another, it would lead to better conclusions.

 

[Da Guru]

I am pretty sure that Crabbys was a complete tear. Terrible injury for any player but more so for a WR.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

These studies are always flawed IMO, because all players suffering an achilles injury aren't the same.Start by excluding anyone whose injury was more than five(?) years ago. Medicine moves fast. Add the players from other explosive sports who've done an achilles. They have a lot in common and it beefs up your sample size. Then divy them up into a 3x3 experimental grid using age at recovery and pre-injury talent level. Like this:

Stud AVG BumYoung Peak Past ItThat would be informative.

 

[Mentos]

I think it is a particularly tough injury for players who have to jump. Dominique Wilkins was never the same after tearing his Achilles. He was still pretty good for a few years, mind you, but his best days were clearly before the injury.

Vinny Testaverde and Dan Marino were QBs who didn't run much before their Achilles injuries. Therefore, they were able to come back and still play at a similar level as they did before the injury.

My guess is when Crabtree comes back he will be far less explosive and might be a boring possession receiver.

 

[Faust]

Achilles tendon tear a death knell for running backs?By Chris Wesseling

Around the League Writer

As recently as a decade ago, a complete Achilles tendon tear was a death sentence for the NFL's speed-reliant skill-position players.

Advanced surgical techniques and accelerated rehab schedules have allowed players such as Demaryius Thomas and Leon Hall to regain their pre-injury explosiveness. Terrell Suggs even made it back to game action less than six months after surgery.

Post-injury success remains elusive for one position, however. Our research concludes that no running back ever has recaptured sustained pre-injury form after rupturing an Achilles tendon. Perhaps it's because the position relies so heavily on a combination of speed, cutting ability and physicality.

Tim Twentyman of the Detroit Lions' official website observed Wednesday that Mikel Leshoure still isn't the same player he was prior to tearing his Achilles two years ago.

Edgar Bennett, formerly of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, and Andre Brown of the New York Giants, are the position's best representatives. Bennett bounced back with 611 rushing yards in 1998 after sitting out the 1997 season. A more telling sign is that Bennett averaged a paltry 3.5 yards per carry and called it quits after managing just six attempts the following year.

Brown was waived or released nearly a dozen times before finding a small window of success in 2012, only to go down with a season-ending broken fibula. That's not atypical. Achilles tears are infamous for leading to further leg injuries down the line.

To be fair, it should be noted that no running back has come back at full speed because no elite running back ever has ruptured his Achilles.

The next test case is San Francisco 49ers backup Kendall Hunter, who started training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list. Even if he stays healthy and productive, Hunter will have to beat out Marcus Lattimore and LaMichael James for the starting job once Frank Gore hangs up his spikes.

The position will have to keep waiting for it's first Thomas, Hall, Suggs or even Michael Crabtree.

The Around The League Podcast is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

 

[JFS171]

Bumping this for some more thoughts on Kendall Hunter. With Leshoure the recent test case for RBs sustaining this injury, it would seem to suggest they'll never quite be the same again. But we know medical knowledge and procedures and rehab programs continue to get better and better.

Hunter is now running sprints, cutting, and looking like a blur. Supposedly everything is going swimmingly, but will he ever get back to where he was prior to the injury?

From what I can tell, it was only a partial tear of the Achilles, which made bode well for him. Anyone looking to buy him cheap in dynasty?