Carolina Panthers fans were dealt a stressful blow when star wide receiver Steve Smith broke his arm this weekend. Although Smith’s injury was football related, it was a rather curious one. Smith broke his arm playing the position of defensive end during a flag football game at his football camp.
Smith immediately underwent surgery for the injury and has already contacted Panthers general manager Marty Hurney. According to Hurney, Smith said he feels horrible about sustaining such a troubling injury and that he plans on focusing on an immediate recovery, if possible.
There are no doctors’ reports on Smith’s rehabilitation yet and it is all but certain that he will miss the Panthers training camp which commences July 28th. His agent Derrick Fox maintains a positive outlook and predicts that Smith will be back in time to start for the Panthers’ regular season opener.
Fox stated: “"I'm not trying to play doctor, but I don't think he'll miss any games due to this injury. He did this while trying to play with and help the kids."
Fox’s prognosis may not be medical, but it is firmly rooted in history. Smith has traditionally been exceptional at recovering from injuries traditionally considered serious. In the 2004 National Football League season opener against Green Bay, Smith suffered a severe leg break. During the next season, Smith recovered and returned to the NFL with fury. That season he even achieved the elusive Triple Crown, by leading the NFL in receiving yards, touchdowns, and receptions. Smith did this with 1,563 receiving yards on 103 receptions, with 12 touchdowns. The feat had previously only been achieved twice, by Jerry Rice in 1990 and Sterling Sharpe in 1992.
Smith’s camp is an annual tradition, and he has been running the camp since 2008 following the conclusion of the Panthers’ offseason practices.
Of concern is that Smith broke the same arm last season and therefore rehabilitation might be more difficult. The only plus is that the break was in the same arm but a different place. He broke the forearm rather than the actual arm during a touchdown catch. Smith missed the Panthers’ regular-season finale due to the injury, and came up a mere 18 yards short of his fifth straight 1,000 yard receiving season. He ended up with a season total of 982 yards on 65 receptions and 7 touchdowns.
Smith is an important asset to the Panthers, and essentially the face of their struggling franchise. The Panthers selected Smith with their top pick (third overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft. He was a star wideout for two years at the University of Utah prior to being selected by the Panthers.
Since then, Smith has spent his entire career as a Panther. Other than a minor transgression involving a locker-room fight early in his career, Smith has matured into a veteran leader and is considered by many of the younger players to be an elder statesman.
Smith is one of the main sources of the Panthers’ offensive output, and even when he isn’t the one scoring, Smith is essential as a decoy. Throughout his career for the Panthers, he has amassed 8,330 yards with 574 receptions and 50 touchdowns.
The Panthers need Smith to help fuel their resurgence. The struggling franchise has suffered through consistent TV blackouts due to poor attendance and is now without former franchise quarterback Jake Delhomme. Although Delhomme struggled at the position with Carolina, the team has few skilled options to replace him.
What the Panthers do have are two respected rookie quarterbacks in Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen and Cincinnati’s Matt Pike. Steve Smith’s return would give the two prospects a great target to throw at in order to develop the skills needed to eventually lead the Carolina Panthers.
Tags: