Ear Infection: TJH

[purplefaithful]

Tight end T.J. Hockenson said his limited participation in Vikings training camp since Aug. 3 has been due to an ear infection. 

He was a full participant in Monday's walkthrough — running routes and catching passes from Kirk Cousins — but Hockenson clarified afterward that he's still on the mend.
"I'm starting to get cleared up," Hockenson said Monday. "I had an ear infection that was messing with my equilibrium. Just taking it slow and trying to get back as quick as I can."
Head coach Kevin O'Connell would like to see Hockenson with the first-team offense again when the Tennessee Titans arrive in Eagan for joint practices Wednesday and Thursday. When asked if he'd be ready, Hockenson said he's "taking it day by day."
"The hope is we can start working him back in," O'Connell said Sunday. "This is a pretty critical part of our preparation for the season, especially with our plan for some of our starters, and I know T.J. will be out there when he is ready to go."
Hockenson, a former first-round pick of the Lions acquired in a trade last season, is entering the final year of his contract. He has deflected attention away from contract negotiations this offseason, while also saying, "I hope to be here for a long time."
Retaining Hockenson will be costly. Only the Chiefs' Travis Kelce had more catches and yards at the position than Hockenson after Week 9, when he was acquired by Minnesota. Kelce is one of five NFL tight ends making more than $14 million annually.
He said Monday that his focus is on Sept. 10 vs. the Buccaneers.
"I want to be out there [now] with the boys," Hockenson said. "But on the same hand, I got to get ready for September and that's what I'm looking forward to."
https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-vikings-tj-hockenson-ear-infection-training-camp-brian-oneill/600297082/

[Guest]

Definitely understandable why it's taking so long to get back on the field. I have a history of ear infections and they can be a bitch. 

[Guest]

@1VikesFan said:
Definitely understandable why it's taking so long to get back on the field. I have a history of ear infections and they can be a bitch. 

Harkens me back to Robert Smith!

Ive had bad vertigo b4, and it was debilitating. 

[Guest]

@1VikesFan said:
Definitely understandable why it's taking so long to get back on the field. I have a history of ear infections and they can be a bitch. 

Same here.  Had to get a shot in the rear with heavy antibiotics the last time it hung on.

[Guest]

@1VikesFan said:
Definitely understandable why it's taking so long to get back on the field. I have a history of ear infections and they can be a bitch. 

Same here.  Apparently I have oddly shaped ear canals, so as a kid I could get an ear infection just from taking a shower. Had to wash my hair while avoiding getting water in my ears. At one point both eardrums were both collapsed and perforated. At 16 had a mastoid operation on my left ear (think ear infection on steroids).  While my hearing isn't quite normal, I'd say I'm lucky that today I'm not walking around yelling "What?!?" at everybody.

[Guest]

Yet the media moves forward with reckless speculation......smh. 

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Yet the media moves forward with reckless speculation......smh. 

The media has to media.

[Guest]

@StickyBun said:
Yet the media moves forward with reckless speculation......smh. 

There were plenty wise guys on here who were speculating that he was doing a camp "hold-in" or some such notion.  Relax folks, let the story come out.

[Guest]

@Montana Tom said:

@StickyBun said:
Yet the media moves forward with reckless speculation......smh. 

There were plenty wise guys on here who were speculating that he was doing a camp "hold-in" or some such notion.  Relax folks, let the story come out.

Guilty. :/ But in my defense, he's due for a new contract that really could've been done weeks ago. He was not participating in practices but didn't appear to be injured. And the Vikings were unusually silent on the topic. I don't think it's overly reckless speculation to think that it could've been contract related. Most media assumed this as well. 

But that's what we get for assuming. Happy to hear it's neither contract or injury related. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:

@Montana Tom said:

@StickyBun said:
Yet the media moves forward with reckless speculation......smh. 

There were plenty wise guys on here who were speculating that he was doing a camp "hold-in" or some such notion.  Relax folks, let the story come out.

Guilty. :/ But in my defense, he's due for a new contract that really could've been done weeks ago. He was not participating in practices but didn't appear to be injured. And the Vikings were unusually silent on the topic. I don't think it's overly reckless speculation to think that it could've been contract related. Most media assumed this as well. 

But that's what we get for assuming. Happy to hear it's neither contract or injury related. 

Same.  I wanted to believe, but the way NFL teams control the narrative, one can never tell.  And ear infections aren't a normal type of illness for these guys.