Crowell defends decision
By Allen Wilson
NEWS SPORTS REPORTER
Linebacker Angelo Crowell made a surprise appearance as the Buffalo Bills cleared out their lockers Monday.
Crowell hasn’t been seen at the practice facility since the Bills unexpectedly placed him on the injured reserve list just three days before the regular-season opener after he opted to have surgery on a lingering left knee injury.
The Bills were miffed at Crowell, and coach **** Jauron said the decision came “out of the blue.” But Crowell insisted it wasn’t a hasty decision.
“I just knew that I just couldn’t go out there,” he said. “Playing [in games], you can take some things to help you through the pain, but practicing, you’ve got to get through the week and I’m just one of those guys who practices the way I play. I practice at the same speed I play the game. You’ve got to be able to do those things at this level to know that you can make the play, and even have the confidence to even make the plays in the game. If you can’t do that in practice you’re wasting your time. You’re fooling yourself.”
For two years, Crowell dealt with a condition called chondromalacia (or runner’s knee), which is an irritation on the bottom surface of the knee cap. Inflammation of cartilage when the knee cap rubs against the side of the knee joint causes pain.
With the help of strengthening exercises, Crowell started every game last season and posted a career high 140 tackles (93 solo). Instead of having offseason surgery, the Bills’ medical staff decided continued rehabilitation was a better option.
But after being limited throughout training camp and the preseason because of the knee, Crowell decided he couldn’t put off surgery any longer.
“At that point, I didn’t feel I could go out and contribute the way I wanted to for my team,” he said. “I just said, ‘Well, let’s have the surgery.’ As a result, I didn’t think that would put me on IR. That’s the way it was.”
Crowell said he was surprised, but not upset, that the Bills ended his season. A meeting with Bills Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon convinced Crowell that he and the team are still on good terms.
“I don’t harbor any ill feelings because he said at the time it was a timing issue,” Crowell said. “He said he doesn’t have any hard feelings. He knows that I’m not a quitter. He knows the work I’ve put in and he feels good about me. That’s the main thing I wanted to make sure is that me being put on IR wasn’t done out of anger.”
Crowell’s surgery was performed by famed Alabama orthopedist Dr. James Andrews. Crowell had originally planned to have a minor arthroscopic surgery, which would have allowed him return within four to six weeks, but he questioned whether he could have played up to his usual standards.
After going on IR, Crowell said Andrews advised a more extensive procedure “that’s going to give me more longevity in the league instead of a quick fix.
“It was not a microfracture where they drill holes, but they just went in there and sanded it down to create that blood flow,” said Crowell, who added he’s ahead of his three-to four-month recovery schedule.
Crowell’s contract expires this year and he is open to re-signing with the Bills. But even though he said Brandon told him the team hasn’t closed the door on that, it’s highly unlikely Crowell will be back.
Once healthy, Crowell is confident he can still be an impact player for some team.
“Once I’m healthy, there is no question in my mind that I can play this game and I can play it at a high level,” he said. “I’ll put my game up against any linebacker in the league. I know that I can produce. It is film that shows I can produce. The main thing teams just want to see is when I’m healthy. I’m feeling good where I’m at. I’ll definitely be back on the field next year.”