On Wednesday, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook visited two concussion specialists in Pittsburgh, where he underwent a variety of tests. Despite fears that Westbrook's career could be over, Dr. Joseph Maroon and Dr. Michael "Micky" Collins of UPMC expressed optimism.
"We are very encouraged by Brian's progress, we believe that he has an excellent prognosis and we expect a full recovery," Drs. Maroon and Collins said in a statement released by the Eagles. "We developed a comprehensive physical rehab plan for Brian, and we will repeat the detailed testing in the next two to three weeks."
So it appears that Westbrook will miss at least two or three more games, at a minimum.
Still, Westbrook's career already was winding down, even without the sudden concussion issue. We're not sure it makes sense for him or the team to take any further risks, especially with Congress paying keen attention to the problem of brain injuries.
Doctors expect Westbrook to make a full recovery
Posted by Mike Florio on November 18, 2009 9:49 PM ET
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The only one that feared (wanted) BWest's career to be over was you Lord Florio.
Don't you wish you had gotten yourself a REAL med degree instead of one out of a cracker jack box?
"Brian Westbrook visited two concussion specialists in Pittsburgh, where he underwent a variety of tests. Despite fears that Westbrook's career could be over, Dr. Joseph Maroon and Dr. Michael "Micky" Collins of UPMC expressed optimism."
The reason for this optimism, Dr. Moron explained, was that "while Westbrook did mis-spell "cat" as "a-t-c", he remembered it was a three letter word and he used the correct three letters".
Westbrook, you're young still, you've made enough scratch, walk away while you can still remember your name.
B. West 47 carries 225 yards 4.8 YPA 25 Lg 1 Td
19 Rec 156 RY 8.2 PC 32 Lg 1Td
We will be glad to have him as long as he is mentally ready to go.
Why do you insist on him retiring? If the specialists he spoke with say he's ok, I'll take their word for it. He's a key part of the Eagles and has at least 1 decent season left. If anything he can teach McCoy how to pick up the blitz and be a more complete player. You insist he should retire. I understand there are scary long term effects of concussions, but I think a doctor is more qualified to make the assessment on his career, not you Mike. Hope he has a speedy recovery
Hey Twiz, maybe Westbrook would like to be able to add 2+2 or remember his name 10 years from now, did that ever occur to you ?
Twiz- go take a look at Philly.com. 80% of the respondents on a survey there felt Brian's career was over. I'm a die-hard Philly fan, but no one wants to see him suffer any more brain damage.
This is good news. I hope Westbrook throws himself into the rehab plan. He could bounce out of this and get all the way back. I don't know if he'll play football again, but in any case he's a young man with many great years ahead of him like others at that age.
Is it me, or would everyone else here the following clip in their head every time they went to see this doctor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo
Ali was cleared to fight by specialists multiple times.
Look at him now.
The human brain is not meant to be knocked around violently, doing so multiple times makes you end up like Ali.
The short term prognosis might be good, doesn't mean there will not be side effects.
He should listen to Troy Aikman or Steve Young talk - both had multiple concussions and haven't been right since.
Two concussions in such a short time span should raise red flags.
Cornflorio (or Perez Florio) has been predicting the demise of the Eagles since way early in the summer.
a) Peters isn't that good; their line isn't healthy; they haven't played together so there's no continuity; losing Runyan and Thomas: what are the Eagles thinking?!?
b) Andrews hasn't played yet; Andrews suffers a setback sure to cripple the Eagles OL hopes
c) Vick will disrupt the team; McNabb must be looking over his shoulder; No way McNabb okay'd Vick to the Eagles; why aren't the Eagles playing Vick more; Vick says he "should be" a starting qb; Vick envisioned he would be starting
d) Starting a rooking at safety smells of desperation on the Eagles part
e) Desperate move for the Eagles trading for Witherspoon; 'Spoon isn't "that" good of a player to make a difference
f) Perez Florio can't believe that the Eagles haven't ruled out Westbrook after suffering a concussion; Reid should be ashamed for "considering" playing Westbrook after concussion; Eagles should allow Westbrook to sit out a game, afterall, one's health is more important than a football game; Eagles aren't using proper protocol when dealing with Westbrook's concussion issues.
and finally,
g) "Still, Westbrook's career already was winding down, even without the sudden concussion issue. We're not sure it makes sense for him or the team to take any further risks, especially with Congress paying keen attention to the problem of brain injuries."
Please see the stats posted above to put your ignorant argument in it's place. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, maybe your wife has been writing some of your posts?!?
If not, I just want to know one thing......... do you have to give your wife her underwear back after you're done wearing them?
On Wednesday, Eagles running back Brian Westbrook visited two concussion specialists in Pittsburgh?
Are the doctor's Steeler fans?
Just sayin...............
I thought the doctors still really had no clue about long term effects of multiple concussions? Sacrificing your body to play is expected but not your long term health.
"Please see the stats posted above to put your ignorant argument in it's place."
Which stats? 47 carries in 10 games or two concussions in the last two games? The guy gets hurt if you look at him too hard and you're talking about his meager stats? Seriously?
You can point to Ali, but you can also point to all the other boxers who absorbed all the punches of an extended boxing career and are fine. Plus Ali has Parkinsons, so does Micheal J Fox. I didn't realize the "Keaton kids" were holding boxing matches off camera.
This concern for Westbrooks career because he has enough cash is bunk. Based on that theory, Farve, both Mannings, Brady, LT2, heck even Sproiles and Matt Ryan should all retire today.
They like Westbrook are one hit away from having the quality of the rest of their lives greatly diminished. It takes one wrong hit to paralyze them. And that is factual. Everyone assuming Westbrook may not be able to add 2 plus 2 in 10 years are making medical assumptions that contradict what the docs are telling him and assume knowledges of the effects of concussions that does not exist.
So you THINK another concussion from a blow to the head could make Westbrook unable to add 2 plus 2. But you KNOW a bad hit could paralyze any player at any time. You only worry about the concussion?
Disingenuous
Once again a big deal about nothing. He is fine put a thicker helmet on him give him some percocets and put him back in.
What was all the fuss about? Should Clinton Portis retire?.........well actually he should he is poo-poo.
@HarrisonHits
@Ray Cornwall
Ok, I am curious.....When did either of you, or the 80% of Philly fans that want BWest to retire become medical doctors? Only an absolute idiot would go against what a Dr tells them, no matter if it is good or bad. For those that constantly reference Ali, while Dr's have already decided that 1) the condition that causes Parkinson's Disease was already present in Ali, most likely from birth and 2) the fighting past his prime (ie his last two fights against Holmes and Burbeck) are what most likely exacerbated the problem. If Dr's knew then what they know today, most likely Ali would never have been cleared to fight.
People bring up Troy Aikman and Steve Young. I could be wrong, but I believe they were advised by Dr's to retire. By some of the thinking shown here, they should have continued playing cause the Drs might not always be right. If you are gonna say it one way, the other way must work as well. If Dr's are wrong in saying someone can play, then they could be wrong when saying someone cannot play, right?
Is BWest past his prime? Who are we to say? Many here thought that Favre was past his prime and look at what he is doing this year. While he might not get it, he is being talked about in regards to league MVP!
My own personal opinion, if a Dr says I can or cannot do something I'm basically gonna follow Dr's orders. They know far more than me or any of my friends.....and most here (Including Lord Florio) can look in the mirror and say pretty much the same thing.......
The guy has been a warrior and deserves to take it easy until he knows he's ok.
He's given his all to that team and they done nothing but use him and beat him down come contract time.
Glad Dawkins got out of there as he got the same BS and now the defense blows.
Cheapass Eagles
I'm re-posting what I wrote on the other Westbrook column:
As hard as it is for these players, I hope Westbrook has the sense to let it go. These concussions tend to keep re-occuring and there was a very interesting feature on 20/20 regarding this very issue. Severe brain damage can occur later in life.
Former great Colt tight end, Mackey, has to eat through a frickin straw from all the head trauma. I know these current players don't think about this but it is a reality.
I hope the Eagles have enough sense to release Westbrook at the end of the year. He has clearly lost a step and is not the same player/threat he once was.
The shelf life for the running back is a short one. Thanks for all you've done, Westy, but I think this is the beginning of the end.
Vox, you ignorant deuche. I would've said "slut," as a line taken from SNL, but that would imply that you get laid.
47 carries 225 yards 4.8 YPA 25 Lg 1 Td
19 Rec 156 RY 8.2 PC 32 Lg 1Td
THOSE stats. So, to say that his "skills" have diminished is absolute bullshittery. And "that" is what I'm talking about.
Perez has perpetuated the Eagles' demise based on his own bias. I'm not taking issue with his ability to do that, but I will pound him with facts as opposed to "what I wish would happen" to a team I dislike.
Now go back to your mom's basement and only yell to her when you're out of meatloaf.....
Hotchick, mooremi9, and Twiz: damn skippy, you got it right. Voice of reason is appreciated.
ComeOnMan: Um, he got a new contract. And the Eagles run the ball, on average, 40% so to say that he's been beat down is not accurate. For an example of use him/beat him down: please see Jamal Anderson (Atl), Eddie George, Shaun Alexander, and Earl Campbell.
I'm not saying put Westbrook in the game, but I am saying that the Eagles, Westbrook, and the doctors will do what is best.
To prematurely make assumptions of his demise and hide it behind a vail of concern is, to use Hotchick's word, disingenuous.
"So you THINK another concussion from a blow to the head could make Westbrook unable to add 2 plus 2. But you KNOW a bad hit could paralyze any player at any time. You only worry about the concussion?"
Not all injuries or risks of injuries are the same.
It's a simple fact that the more concussions one gets, the easier it gets to get them. It's a cumulative effect. I'm not sure if you've noticed but the guy has gotten two concussions in his last two games played whether by bad luck or soft noggin. Nobody ONLY worries about one thing or another but fact of the matter is that paralyzation caused by injury is very rare in the NFL, brain injury by concussion is not.
By the way, Parkinson's can be brought on by many things, including head trauma. It can also be hereditary, by exposure to toxins or could be completely idiopathic. Those who have experienced a head injury are four times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who have never suffered a head injury. Kind of absurd to think that the head trauma that Ali endured over his career as a pro boxer had nothing to do with it.
I feel Westbrook should do whats best for him whether that be playing football or retiring it's his own choice.
Shady can hit the hole better than Westy at this point he can catch just as well has him too, the only thing Westbrook has on Mccoy is blitz pickup and not a lot of rookie have that mastered anyways.
Shady will eventually get blitz pickup with more first team practice reps as well as being the feature back.
I love Westbrook I have his jersey but once Shady figures out blitz pickup he will be better than Westy.
He won't be an Eagle next year.
Vox: w/that line of thinking then Paolumau should retire for fear that he'll never walk again or end up walking like Earl Campbell. Once you have injured a joint, you are more likely to do it again. For that matter, Owen Daniels should retire. Hell, any player that gets hurt should shut it down.
Why risk the chance to have serious long term side effects when you can just walk away?!?
Leave it up to the players, their families, and teams to decide what is best. It's not for us to dither about and make into ethical or moral judgements for or against. Injuries are part of the risk you take when playing sports. It is up to each player to decide if and when he/she can play with an injury. Otherwise, we should make it all "fair and equal" and not keep score....truly panty it down so that no one ever gets hurt......
"THOSE stats. So, to say that his "skills" have diminished is absolute bullshittery. And "that" is what I'm talking about. "
So you're basing your opinion on a very limited sampling. Yeah, that's pretty much my point. 10 games, 47 carries, 66 touches all told, you think that there's some sort of significance in such a small sampling? Correll Buckhalter is averaging 5.5 yards per carry on 19 more attempts than Westbrook. Highly skilled RB or small sample?
I'm not saying that he's done for sure but it's kinda silly to imply that these numbers prove anything about him whatsoever. If you can't stay on the field, you can't play and that's not limited to just Brian Westbrook. The guy hurt his ankle again between concussions without even playing, for Pete's sake.
"And the Eagles run the ball, on average, 40% so to say that he's been beat down is not accurate. For an example of use him/beat him down: please see Jamal Anderson (Atl), Eddie George, Shaun Alexander, and Earl Campbell."
Those guys were durable enough to get beaten down. It's a relative term anyway. Westbrook's never had more than 278 carries in a season, mainly because he's never played an entire season and this season is no exception. The guy has only averaged like 15 carries per game over his entire career and he's almost always injured! All the guys you mentioned averaged over 20 carries per game, all had multiple seasons of 300+ carries and a couple of them had some 400+ carry seasons. You're arguing semantics more than anything else.
I'm not even saying that he should retire.
"Vox: w/that line of thinking then Paolumau should retire for fear that he'll never walk again or end up walking like Earl Campbell. Once you have injured a joint, you are more likely to do it again."
Yeah well we have joint replacement surgery and wheelchairs for those that can't get around too well. Rotsa ruck mitigating a brain injury so easily.
"It's not for us to dither about and make into ethical or moral judgements for or against. "
It's not for us to dither about a lot of things but we do it anyway. This is not a radioactive issue, don't try to act like it is. I don't even think it's that big of a deal. Another NFL player with brain injury issues, to tell you the truth if he plays and dies it's no sweat off my ass, other than the fact that it's just another sad thing to go along with all of the other sad things in the world. Then again if he goes on to have a relatively productive career from this point forward and never misses another game, then again, no sweat off my ass.
"It is up to each player to decide if and when he/she can play with an injury."
Now that part I completely disagree with. The team has other things to consider, like whether they want something bad weighing on their conscience. Troy Aikman could have continued to play and he tried, but the risk was too great and no team wanted to assume that risk. Sometimes you gotta take the keys away for your friends' own good whether they like it or not.
And I'm not saying that the Eagirls should do that. I don't think you get to the NFL without being a highly motivated, highly competitive individual and I would expect any player to have the desire to keep going as long as he can, perhaps even after he realistically should (like Aikman). I hope BW plays again (mainly because I think they rely on him too much when he's in there), and I hope he doesn't get hurt worse than he has been already but I wouldn't bet a nickel on it.
Felix Jones should probably retire too. He's clearly suited more to doing things like hanging out in Vox's basement playing footsies. Then again, he'd probably sprain his ankle taking off his sock.
"Highly skilled RB or small sample?"
Comparing those stats to his career stats, they are very similar. My point is that is "skills" have not eroded as Florio alluded. And to your point, he is a highly talented RB.
_______________________________
"Westbrook's never had more than 278 carries in a season, mainly because he's never played an entire season and this season is no exception."
Well, that is part of the reason. Obviously, if he had played another game that season he would have had at least (1) more carry. However, it is more a reflection of the offensive play calling. That same year he had (90) receptions.
_______________________________
"The guy has only averaged like 15 carries per game over his entire career and he's almost always injured!"
The flip to that is that he averages over (5) receptions per game.
_______________________________
All the guys you mentioned averaged over 20 carries per game, all had multiple seasons of 300+ carries and a couple of them had some 400+ carry seasons. You're arguing semantics more than anything else.
Each of them avg. over 20 carries 6 or less seasons. George having (6), Campbell having (5), Alexander having (4) and Anderson having just (1). Anderson being the only one with over 400 carries. None of them caught the ball out of the backfield with regularity. ________________________________
This is not a radioactive issue, don't try to act like it is.
Not trying to act like it is radioactive at all. Just saying that this is as more to do with hating on the Eagles more so than a genuine concern for the well being of one of their players. Not that I think anyone actually wishes he would get hurt, let me make that clear.
________________________________
My overall point is that his skills are not eroding. He was playing as good as he always has. In spite of injuries, he has put up great numbers, ones that any team would love to have from a back that played in every game.
I'm not saying he's the greatest back to play the game, etc. Just pointing out that when you are arguing facts, his averages this year are similar to his career averages. The only argument that can be made is that he usually misses games each year and not that his skills have diminished.
It is extremely unfortunate that he sustained these concussions, but it does give some folks the ammunition they require to bang the drum of the Eagles' demise.
Opie,
McTurd is the only one that got paid right away.
They always beat him down come "contract time."Westy has signed two contracts and never got value or a quick deal.
On the surface he should come back when he get cleared and feels like it. That happened last week and it is worst now.
Now he should wait until the playoffs.
"The Eagles on Sunday signed running back Brian Westbrook to a five-year contract extension that runs through the 2010 season and is worth slightly less than $25 million. It includes bonuses between $9 million and $10 million. This spring, Westbrook signed a one-year restricted free agent qualifying offer for $1.43 million."
Eagles' players have signed contracts early in their careers for guaranteed money rather than take a wait and see approach. Front office then feels inclined to wait until those contracts are about to expire before renegotiating. I can't really fault either side. As the injuries to Westy show, you never know what tomorrow will bring.
I agree with you, though, on this: he should wait until the playoffs unless he feels 100% AND the doctors say he is 100%.