Jacksonville Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey defends Maurice Jones-Drew foot surgery delay – NFL News
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey has warily defended the team’s decision to delay a foot surgery for running back Maurice Jones-Drew by about two months, saying it has happened because of a hope that the RB might be able to recover to full health
and fitness without a procedure.
Mike said there are examples of other players, who have recovered from a foot injury without an operation, and they had hoped Maurice might also be able regain full fitness, which did not happen.
The coach said:
"We had hoped it would - as others have - heal without surgery, and it didn't."
Mularkey avoided hitting the point that the player has missed quite a few games while nursing his injury on the sideline. This has cost the team some games and this could have been the case if the player had a procedure done on his left foot timely.
Until past week the Jags confirmed Maurice’s status as questionable, but there was no hint if the player required a surgery to fix his foot at all. Now while confirming that the RB has to undergo the knife, the coach defended two months delay was nothing
for the player given he will not hit field again before April 2013.
He said:
"Hopefully back by May, late May, early June. If it's May, we're not going to miss a lot. I don't think it's significant that we're doing it now. We all felt like he had a chance to play all the way up until this week, and really we were hoping he could."
Jones was injured in the game versus the Oakland Raiders on Oct 21 and the team has let the issue lingered on unaddressed since then, drawing severe criticism from all quarters over their poor judgement and choice.
Some commentators think this could have compromised the player’s safety, although the risk factor is not eliminated altogether. Some analysts went on to say that the league office should look into the matter, further investigate it in the perspective of
health and safety rules.
Mularkey while commenting on the scope of the injury said the foot has developed a space, which can be healed on its own, but in case of Maurice now it needs a surgery.
Tags: