There’s an intriguing post-script when it comes to the recent news that Texans safety Ed Reed needs hip surgery that could cause him to miss part of training camp.
We’re told that the Ravens, while not specifically aware of the extent of the problem, generally knew that Reed’s hip was bothering him. The Texans apparently didn’t.
That said, the Baltimore injury reports reflect only a shoulder problem in 2012. And the shoulder injury began to appear on the injury reports only after Reed blabbed about having a shoulder injury, which got the team fined for hiding it. (And which prompted a fairly epic rant from the head coach.)
During my weekly visit with Nick Wright and John Lopez of SportsRadio 610 in Houston, the hosts played some sound from a doctor who was on the show Thursday. Specifically, Dr. Kenneth First explained that Reed’s torn labrum wouldn’t have been detected via a physical or an X-ray.
This means that the Texans either didn’t ask Reed if his hip (or any joint) was bothering him, or the Texans asked and Reed didn’t disclose it.
“You’d have to tell me that he suddenly hurt himself playing badminton or volleyball in April,” First said. (Or, perhaps, climbing out of a tank in February.) “Most of the time you know you have a hip problem. I just think that he probably knew he had a hip problem. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Ravens knew he had a hip problem as he went through the season last year. . . . You don’t tear your labrum just walking around. You know there’s something wrong.”
Dr. First also explained that the surgery isn’t minor (contrary to the characterization from owner Bob McNair), and Dr. First believes that if this were happening with a key player on a big-market team, it would be a lot bigger deal.
Regardless of the market, it’s amazing that more hasn’t been said about Reed’s ability to sign a multi-year deal with the Texans despite a not-insignificant condition about which his new team didn’t know. And if the Texans believe or suspect that Reed wasn’t completely candid about the situation, that could make for an awkward start to his tenure with the team.