
Redskins receiver Pierre Garçon, who left Sunday’s win over the Saints while on pass to generate 436 receiving yards, has an injured foot. And the question of whether he plays against the Rams will hinge on whether Garçon can handle the associated discomfort.
That’s what coach Mike Shanahan said Thursday, after Garçon returned to practice on a limited basis.
And while there’s no specific reason to think that Shanahan used the words “pain tolerance” in order to indirectly challenge Garçon to tolerate the pain, that’s sort of the practical effect of the phrase.
If Garçon is tough, he’ll suck it up and play. If he isn’t, he won’t.
Of course, there are ways to make the pain less painful, and that could be Garçon’s middle ground. Regardless, if there’s no reason not to play other than whether Garçon can play with pain, there’s no reason for Garçon to not play.