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Arizona Cardinals’ defensive end JJ Watt posted a disturbing tweet Sunday morning, just hours before the team’s East Coast game against the Carolina Panthers. Watt stated that some news about him had been leaked and was going to be reported today. Immediately, most people who caught this tThe Weet were probably racking their brains and thinking, okay, what happened? From there, Watt went on to explain the following.
“I went into A-Fib on Wednesday, my heart started beating again on Thursday and I’m playing today. This is.”
Wow! I don’t think anyone expected to hear anything like that about Watt. Everyone is relieved that Watt is out of the hospital and seemingly “okay,” but the fact that he plans to play in this game today just four days after shocking his heart back into rhythm is scary.
If the Cardinals don’t, someone in the league office or the NFLPA needs to step in and force him to stop this game. After what we saw last week, with Tua Tagovailoa suffering two concussions in less than five days, Watt should sit out Arizona’s game today.
No, Watt wasn’t injured in the head, but his heart was shocked so it would function properly. Even if Watt was cleared by his own independent physician, precautions should be taken just in case. Yes, it’s football, we know that and everyone is tough. You have to be tough to make it in the NFL, but these players also need to protect themselves when it comes to their health. It doesn’t matter if atrial fibrillation isn’t “considered” very serious. Take extra precautions and be careful.
Last week, during the coverage of the Tua incidents, several former NFL players were asked about head injuries along with others and whether they had ever lied to return to a game. The answer was a resounding YES. Former Patriots and Chargers All-Pro safety Rodney Harrison went on Dan Patrick’s show and admitted he lied about head injuries and more. Harrison says he lied every time he had an injury to keep playing.
Patrick also told a story about Steelers legend Hines Ward spraining his ankle after ringing his bell because he didn’t want to come out of a game. It doesn’t matter if it’s the head or the heart. If it involves either, that player should be further evaluated and forced to stop a game. We cannot continue to play with these men’s lives.
If Watt ends up playing at 4:05 p.m., it could be the biggest story of the day after what happened with Tagovailoa last week. With their choice, NFL players will choose to play almost every time. The league doesn’t want bad PR, yet they keep inviting it at every turn.
The NFL is too concerned about trivial matters like players celebrating or not wearing the “correct” socks. The league fined Lions running back Jamaal Williams for one touchdown dance last week which may have been a little too challenging for their liking. A player can be compromised after clearly showing a concussion and allowed to play days later, but heaven forbid a black player offends his audience by spinning his hips after scoring, à la Ravishing Rick Rude. The NFL needs to be more concerned with the welfare of their players and protecting them as they claim.
Hopefully someone will come in and talk to Watt a bit or take the decision out of his hands.
