'It's mangled.' Teddy Bridgewater's surgeon in awe of comeback
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Dan Cooper knows Teddy Bridgewater's heart like few people do, because Cooper cut open the quarterback's leg on Sept. 8, 2016, when pro football's most stunning comeback began inside a Dallas clinic.
Amputation was no longer a feared possibility, and yet what the surgeon faced that day was something one might see on the set of a sci-fi film.
"It was just a horribly grotesque injury," Cooper said.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24439421/teddy-bridgewater-surgeon-tells-tale-bigger-trade-bait-2018-nfl-new-york-jets
It was a unique and horrible injury for football. Teddy's legs are spindly so this must have look just horrific. He's courageous to fight back after something like that. The guy inspires people around him, that's easy to see. He's easy to root for. What kind of QB he can be in the NFL without the ability to drive the ball down the field remains to be seen. Regardless, he gets my best wishes.
It was a remarkable comeback. This doctor gets major props too. It all started there. His job was really only to make him walk again. He saved the leg. Teddy's heart got himself back on the field. We will see where his career goes. However he's already a winner in the will power game.
Super happy for TB. I'll still proudly where my #5 jersey on game days. B)
I am so proud and amazed at the man Teddy is already. After all he has been through and overcome, he continues to inspire and make a difference. No matter what happens with his football career, you cannot deny he is a remarkable man. I wish him all the best. Nothing but love for Teddy and I will continue to root for him.
All I can say is - Wow, what a freaking STUD!! A large part of my soul wants him back. Reading the article I got a bit emotional.
@"NorthernCalVike" said: All I can say is - Wow, what a freaking STUD!! A large part of my soul wants him back. Reading the article I got a bit emotional.same here. Loved that kid. Watching him dodge a free blitzer and then step up and drive the ball to the sidelines for a first down made me recall how good he was, how cool under pressure. Good luck to him, I will always be a fan.
5 ligaments repaired plus a ligament transplant... truly unbelievable! Good luck Teddy!
"But it's certainly the worst knee dislocation in sports I've ever seen without having a nerve or vessel injury," Cooper said. "It's an injury that about 20-25 percent of NFL players are able to come back from. ... It's a horrific injury. You've torn every single thing in your knee and it's hanging on by one ligament on one side like a hinge."
Cooper performed a reconstruction of Bridgewater's anterior cruciate ligament. "And then everything on the lateral side of his knee was reconstructed, about five ligaments over there," the surgeon said. "We repaired them, then took one of his own hamstring tendons and transplanted it to the lateral side of his knee."
My biggest question is how long will it last? Is he more suseptable or doesn’t the previous injury matter? It appears the Vikings had concerns for some reason or another.
@"Purplewhizz" said: My biggest question is how long will it last? Is he more suseptable or doesn’t the previous injury matter? It appears the Vikings had concerns for some reason or another.I think that's the unknown factor Minnesota didn't want to risk with him.
I still recall posters who claimed this was for all intents and purposes a garden variety ACL...
@"StickyBun" said:I think the biggest unknown factor to me is how this much damage could happen in practice and non contact on top of it. That makes this even more freakish. There had to be something missed or undiagnosed previously. Things usually don't just explode.@"Purplewhizz" said: My biggest question is how long will it last? Is he more suseptable or doesn’t the previous injury matter? It appears the Vikings had concerns for some reason or another. I think that's the unknown factor Minnesota didn't want to risk with him.
@"suncoastvike" said:Maybe they missed something. I do recall speculation that he may have sustained an injury before that weakened things to the point he almost lost a leg when it all exploded. Not sure if it was "catch-able" or not? We may never know at this point.@"StickyBun" said:I think the biggest unknown factor to me is how this much damage could happen in practice and non contact on top of it. That makes this even more freakish. There had to be something missed or undiagnosed previously. Things usually don't just explode.@"Purplewhizz" said: My biggest question is how long will it last? Is he more suseptable or doesn’t the previous injury matter? It appears the Vikings had concerns for some reason or another. I think that's the unknown factor Minnesota didn't want to risk with him.I think the uncertainty about Teddy long-term (which Zim was very transparent about) + KC becoming available + their lens regarding Keenum' ceiling led them to writing a big check for Cousins.
And lets not forget they released Bradford too. 3 QB's released is mind-boggling.
Would love to have been on fly on the wall during those internal discussions. Tough stuff for an org to work through. Big boy stuff - not sure how effectively previous regimes would have managed it.
Daniel Jeremiah:
Always interesting how opinions can change after you study the tape vs watching on TV. I thought Teddy Bridgewater played well last night while watching live. I was wrong. He played OUTSTANDING. Pocket movement, vision, poise, ball placement...all exceptional.
Sounds like the Jets want something "significant" in return for Teddy, and as good as he's looked this preseason, that kind of injury to a thin-framed guy, further complicated by the kind of gruesome details in articles like that, is going to keep his value down. It might make more sense for the Jets to actually keep Teddy into the regular season and just wait for a starting QB to get hurt. Has there ever been a year when at least one starting QB doesn't go down in the 1st few weeks?
@"suncoastvike" said:@"StickyBun" said:I think the biggest unknown factor to me is how this much damage could happen in practice and non contact on top of it. That makes this even more freakish. There had to be something missed or undiagnosed previously. Things usually don't just explode.@"Purplewhizz" said: My biggest question is how long will it last? Is he more suseptable or doesn’t the previous injury matter? It appears the Vikings had concerns for some reason or another. I think that's the unknown factor Minnesota didn't want to risk with him.After it happened, I thought the same, and I wondered if there would eventually be some legal activity - especially if there was any indication the Vikings put him back into practice after mis-diagnosing a problem after the last preseason game. Or if there was more to the accident than anyone would admit, like another player did contact Bridgewater and everyone protected that info.
Nothing happened, at least to public knowledge, so it's either my overly-paranoid thinking (most likely), or it was all super-secret (but may have contributed to Bridgewater spurning the Vikings).
I'm more interested to see if the Jets trade Bridgewater. I kind of hope they wait for an injury to a starter, but most of the speculation seems to be Tampa, Jacksonville, or the Rams.
@"MaroonBells" said: Daniel Jeremiah:Always interesting how opinions can change after you study the tape vs watching on TV. I thought Teddy Bridgewater played well last night while watching live. I was wrong. He played OUTSTANDING. Pocket movement, vision, poise, ball placement...all exceptional.
Sounds like the Jets want something "significant" in return for Teddy, and as good as he's looked this preseason, that kind of injury to a thin-framed guy, further complicated by the kind of gruesome details in articles like that, is going to keep his value down. It might make more sense for the Jets to actually keep Teddy into the regular season and just wait for a starting QB to get hurt. Has there ever been a year when at least one starting QB doesn't go down in the 1st few weeks?
They aren't going to get anything significant for Teddy. Why would they? Its preseason football and Daniel Jeremiah can love it all he wants but teams are set right now at QB. Only injury will open the door for TB. Bridgewater is an injury waiting to happen, its why Minnesota has moved on. Teams know this, its the fans that are still having a hard time grasping it.
Odds for which team Teddy Bridgewater will be on after the 2018 NFL trade deadline (@betonline_ag):
Dolphins +225
Jaguars +275
Patriots +300
Broncos +450
Jets +700
Except for maybe the Jets, these are all pretty good situations. Jags and Patriots, obviously, are as good as it gets. In Jax and Miami he'd probably challenge for the starting job. Plus, Miami is his home. Broncos look like a fairly solid team, but kind of a sister-kisser if he ends up behind Case again. Considering Case's contract, they're not likely to bench him even if he struggles. Patriots might be the best option of all if he's patient.
@"MaroonBells" said: Odds for which team Teddy Bridgewater will be on after the 2018 NFL trade deadline (@betonline_ag):Dolphins +225
Jaguars +275
Patriots +300
Broncos +450
Jets +700Except for maybe the Jets, these are all pretty good situations. Jags and Patriots, obviously, are as good as it gets. In Jax and Miami he'd probably challenge for the starting job. Plus, Miami is his home. Broncos look like a fairly solid team, but kind of a sister-kisser if he ends up behind Case again. Considering Case's contract, they're not likely to bench him even if he struggles. Patriots might be the best option of all if he's patient.
I really don't see the Jets trading him to the Dolphins or (especially) Patriots. Either would have to dramatically outbid everyone else. I'm surprised the Bucs aren't listed.
@"Jor-El" said:@"MaroonBells" said: Odds for which team Teddy Bridgewater will be on after the 2018 NFL trade deadline (@betonline_ag):Dolphins +225
Jaguars +275
Patriots +300
Broncos +450
Jets +700Except for maybe the Jets, these are all pretty good situations. Jags and Patriots, obviously, are as good as it gets. In Jax and Miami he'd probably challenge for the starting job. Plus, Miami is his home. Broncos look like a fairly solid team, but kind of a sister-kisser if he ends up behind Case again. Considering Case's contract, they're not likely to bench him even if he struggles. Patriots might be the best option of all if he's patient.
I really don't see the Jets trading him to the Dolphins or (especially) Patriots. Either would have to dramatically outbid everyone else. I'm surprised the Bucs aren't listed.
Agree on both counts.
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