The injury woes in Carolina continue. Not long ago, linebacker Thomas Davis tore an ACL during offseason workouts.
Now, receiver Steve Smith has broken his arm while playing flag football in a North Carolina adult league. Adam Schefter of ESPN was the first to report it; we have since confirmed it.
We’re told that the break occurred in the same arm he broke late in the 2009 season. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Smith already has had surgery on the arm, and that he’ll miss the beginning of camp.
It happened, we’re told, as Smith tried to deflect a pass. His arm struck another player, and he instantly knew he had been injured. He also called together his flag football teammates and urged them to not say anything to anyone about the injury.
So much for that.
While Schefter characterizes the injury as having occurred at Smith’s “football camp,” we’re told that it actually happened in the championship game of an adult flag football league in which Smith and other NFL players had participated for the entire duration of the league’s season. Also taking part, we’re told, were Panthers receiver Kenny Moore and former Panthers quarterback Josh McCown.
More to come on this one.
UPDATE: The Panthers have officially confirmed the injury.