The Nolen Injury

[Harry]

My understanding is that it’s an ACL tear. Since surgery was required it’s almost certainly Grade 3. This means the ligament is completely torn in two or detached fully from the bone. The injury is especially concerning because only 65% of elite athletes return to their pre-injury performance levels. The best case scenario is a 9 month return date, but caution often pushes it to 12 months. Nolen’s surgery was on December 30. While he could return in October, it’s certainly possible he’s out until December. Since fear of re-injury is such a big recovery factor I suspect they want him on the field for at least a couple of 2026 games just to build his self confidence.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Super, another first round pick who has been completely unavailable!

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Okay, that's it

Let's trade our first round pick and start in the 2nd round

 

[Dan H]

Not going to jump off a building until we get some sort of official word on this. No offense, Harry.

 

[JosiahLee]

It’s the Cardinal way to have your first rd player never reach his potential, and never be able to do so because of injury. Jonathan Cooper 2.0? Unfortunately that’s a very real possibility.

 

[PDXChris]

Surgery does not 100% mean rupture. There are several other reasons, but if he did have replacement surgery, I blame the previous staff. No way he should have played after tweaking that same knee on his TD. The season was lost and he was already battling injuries.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

It’s the Cardinal way to have your first rd player never reach his potential, and never be able to do so because of injury. Jonathan Cooper 2.0? Unfortunately that’s a very real possibility.

this has Andre Wadsworth vibes

 

[football karma]

almost certainly an ACL

NFL players come back from ACLs all the time. Stinks that 2026 will be a lost season for him -- but he will be back in 2027 19 months removed from the injury and ready to go.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I look forward to Bidwill listing him as a dominant force when we pull the reigns on going all out to address our awful pass rush… again.

 

[QuebecCard]

My understanding is that it’s an ACL tear. Since surgery was required it’s almost certainly Grade 3. This means the ligament is completely torn in two or detached fully from the bone. The injury is especially concerning because only 65% of elite athletes return to their pre-injury performance levels. The best case scenario is a 9 month return date, but caution often pushes it to 12 months. Nolen’s surgery was on December 30. While he could return in October, it’s certainly possible he’s out until December. Since fear of re-injury is such a big recovery factor I suspect they want him on the field for at least a couple of 2026 games just to build his self confidence.

SOURCE?

 

[QuebecCard]

I look forward to Bidwill listing him as a dominant force when we pull the reigns on going all out to address our awful pass rush… again.

BIM: reins

 

[Cardinal88]

Why is it that we seem to get the most players with knee injuries. Is it the field? Training? Maybe start doing some due diligence on the potetial players family history. I would think knee injuries are somewhat more common if your parents have bad knees too. I'd be curious what a orthopedic surgeon would say. Any of you out there?

Edited - Just googled and the answer appears to be yes

 

[QuebecCard]

Why is it that we seem to get the most players with knee injuries. Is it the field? Training? Maybe start doing some due diligence on the potetial players family history. I would think knee injuries are somewhat more common if your parents have bad knees too. I'd be curious what a orthopedic surgeon would say. Any of you out there?

Edited - Just googled and the answer appears to be yes

You know what's really bad for knees?

A crash sport with men dressed in modern-day armour, weighing from 200 to 300+ pounds, launching themselves like topedoes at each other, and then piling on.

 

[Dan H]

Have I

Why is it that we seem to get the most players with knee injuries. Is it the field? Training? Maybe start doing some due diligence on the potetial players family history. I would think knee injuries are somewhat more common if your parents have bad knees too. I'd be curious what a orthopedic surgeon would say. Any of you out there?

Edited - Just googled and the answer appears to be yes

Have I posted this before? I feel like I've posted this before. Not entirely applicable to football but fascinating.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[football karma]

You know what's really bad for knees?

A crash sport with men dressed in modern-day armour, weighing from 200 to 300+ pounds, launching themselves like topedoes at each other, and then piling on.

thats some of it -- but:

Walter Nolens injury wasnt from someone crashing into him -- it was from an awkward step will trying to accelerate after getting up off the ground

Garret Williams (and Zay Jones) achilles were non contact

I think modern sports have so optimized muscles for strength and explosiveness it has pushed some athletes ligament capacity beyond their normal limits

 

[cardsfanmd]

Why is it that we seem to get the most players with knee injuries. Is it the field? Training? Maybe start doing some due diligence on the potetial players family history. I would think knee injuries are somewhat more common if your parents have bad knees too. I'd be curious what a orthopedic surgeon would say. Any of you out there?

Edited - Just googled and the answer appears to be yes

We don’t seem to, we do. We were the most injured team in the NFL history last year. We’ve been in the top 5 for quite some time. It’s a constant issue here and the biggest reason for our continued failure. The teams making SB runs every year are almost always amongst the healthiest. Until we address this, nothing else matters.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Look at how many week 1 starters also started for KC and Philly in their playoff and Super Bowl wins over the last decade. More often than not, those numbers will exceed the number we had by week 6 of that season.

 

[Harry]

SOURCE?

I’m aware of your historical skepticism. I had to ask to post this much. This came from someone familiar with the rehab process Nolen is going through. While the ACL recovery process is not fully unique there aren’t a bunch of options leading to this specific process. As to major surgery, it’s almost always only performed for grade 3. The description of injury is the standard medical one. I said “my understanding” because this seems to be the Occam Razor conclusion from what I’m being told. It has not been specifically released by the team. If I’m proven wrong I’ll take the heat. I always do. My record is sound. Just post it if something different is released.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I’m aware of your historical skepticism. I had to ask to post this much. This came from someone familiar with the rehab process Nolen is going through. While the ACL recovery process is not fully unique there aren’t a bunch of options leading to this specific process. As to major surgery, it’s almost always only performed for grade 3. The description of injury is the standard medical one. I said “my understanding” because this seems to be the Occam Razor conclusion from what I’m being told. It has not been specifically released by the team. If I’m proven wrong I’ll take the heat. I always do. My record is sound. Just post it if something different is released.

i just don't understand the Cardinals secrecy with all this stuff. Just be upfront with the fans about the product/players you're going to put on the field every year, as opposed to telling us it's raining while they're pissing on our heads like they did Ojulari last off-season.

 

[Harry]

i just don't understand the Cardinals secrecy with all this stuff. Just be upfront with the fans about the product/players you're going to put on the field every year, as opposed to telling us it's raining while they're pissing on our heads like they did Ojulari last off-season.

I wondered if it’s about ticket sales?

 

[Cheesebeef]

I wondered if it’s about ticket sales?

i'm sure it is. doesn't change the fact that they're just blatantly lying to their fans while repeatedly putting a steaming pile of crap on the field for us to consume every year.

 

[football karma]

i just don't understand the Cardinals secrecy with all this stuff.

this feels specific to Gannon

but we will see

 

[some dumb guy]

they're pissing on our heads

They piss on your head?? Asked Happy Gilmore LOL

 

[cardsfanmd]

i just don't understand the Cardinals secrecy with all this stuff. Just be upfront with the fans about the product/players you're going to put on the field every year, as opposed to telling us it's raining while they're pissing on our heads like they did Ojulari last off-season.

This post should be put and kept at the top of the forum.

It’s mind-blowing that the organization will never reveal virtually anything in regards to even the nature of an injury. Maybe I don’t understand hipaa laws enough or at all but it doesn’t seem to be a trend that exists league-wide.

 

[gmartin]

This post should be put and kept at the top of the forum.

It’s mind-blowing that the organization will never reveal virtually anything in regards to even the nature of an injury. Maybe I don’t understand hipaa laws enough or at all but it doesn’t seem to be a trend that exists league-wide.

Maybe they don't want to tip off other teams on what direction they might be going in free agency and the draft?