With the revelations about the bounty program in New Orleans and several NFL players saying that such things happen all around the NFL, there will likely be a second look taken at some injuries in the recent past.
That’s what Chiefs safety Eric Berry is doing with the torn ACL he suffered in the 2011 season opener against the Bills. Berry was blocked low by Stevie Johnson and missed the rest of the season. Berry took to Twitter, brought to our attention by Arrowhead Addict, with some thoughts about the injury on Monday.
“Sometimes I sit n wonder if they had a bounty out on me...oh well...who cares. Either way u can’t hold me down.”
There’s no reason to believe any kind of bounty was in effect during that game. In an interesting bit of timing, Johnson was on Jim Rome’s radio show on Monday and the subject of bounties came up. Johnson called them “stupid” and said that no one needs “to be doing that for a W.” In another interview with TSN Radio, Johnson said pretty much the same thing and he was adamant after the game that there was nothing intentional beyond trying to block Berry.
Injuries have always been part of the NFL, but there’s a good chance they’re going to be looked at a bit differently in light of the news about the Saints.