Tennessee Titans: Michael Griffin Has Second Surgery On Torn Labrum
By Les Bailey
Pro Football Talk at NBC Sports is reporting that Tennessee Titans Safety, Michael Griffin will have to postpone some work on his knee, because the second surgery on his torn labrum prevents him from using crutches during the healing process.
The 30 year-old safety re-injured the labrum, and dislocated a shoulder in the November 23rd game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but waited until the end of the season to take care of the problems.
Griffin was hoping to be ready for OTA’s, but we are more than likely looking at mid-summer, and possibly the opening of training camp for a return.
"“Before I had the same surgery and I tore my labrum again — it was just a freak accident, the way I fell. So when they went in this time, they saw I’d ripped some of the anchors I already had in there. They added six more to it to make it more stable,” Griffin said, via the Tennessean. “It’s probably going to be four to six months, so that’s looking like coming back May or June. But I am shooting for OTAs.”"
Some sources say, the Titans first-round draft pick out of Texas in 2007 hurt his shoulder as early as, the Washington Redskins game on October, 19th, but returned to the lineup, and played the rest of the season. He underwent the surgery on Tuesday.
ESPN Tennessee Titans reporter, Paul Kaharsky had this to say:
"In ESPN’s snaps totals, which count even plays washed away by penalties, Griffin played 1,089, the fifth-most in the NFL.He drew praise from management and coaches, who presented him as an example of the toughness and determination they seek throughout the roster.That what he played through was so serious is a big development.And it leads me back to a theme I’m big on: If his play was off after he got hurt, not sharing the details had a negative bearing on evaluators judging his play."
The uncertainty of Griffins return to playing status is putting some pressure on the Titans, because his 2015 salary is set to be $6.3 million, and counts for just a tad over $8 million against the salary cap.
Even though Griffin played through the injuries, it may well have put his status with the team in jeopardy.
It may force the Titans to part ways with Michael Griffin, and look for some safety help in the upcoming free agency period, on in the 2015 NFL Draft at the end of April.
Kaharsky had more to say about a situation that is all to common in the NFL:
"It has to be a lousy situation when a guy’s getting crushed by media and fans, knows it’s partly because he’s working with a mangled shoulder, and either is encouraged to or chooses not to defend himself by presenting the clearest picture.I understand hiding the degree of injuries protects players and teams on one level. I never get the real sense teams and players understand how it hurts those players on another."