Ex-Chargers Team Doctor Claims Jameis’ Shoulder Injury Something More
October 30th, 2017
Not just a bruise?
This nearly made Joe puke.
Folks who listen to SiriusXM NFL Radio have heard Dr. David Chao, the former Chargers’ team physician for 17 years, discuss football injuries. He’s a regular guest on the channel.
Joe’s not into the mechanics of sports injuries so he usually flips to Chris “Mad Dog” Russo or Howard Stern when this Chao comes on. Only thing Joe gives a damn about when a doctor talks injuries is if and when a guy can play or not.
Chao has a helluva resume and studied at both Harvard and Northwestern, and he writes a sports injury blog for the San Diego Union-Tribune. After watching video of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, against Buffalo and watching the utter disgrace of an offense Sunday at the Den of Depression, where Jameis may have had his worst game since the Denver Debacle last year, Chao reached a disturbing conclusion about Jameis’ injury.
Chao is certain Jameis has more than just a bruised deltoid muscle and a bruised AC joint in his throwing shoulder. In fact, Chao concluded Jameis — Joe trusts you are sitting down for this — has something wrong with his rotator cuff.
On a third-and-11 in the second quarter, Winston threw the ball 15 yards downfield for a completion. To do so, he exerted extra body rotation that is consistent with rotator cuff weakness. And the throw was still wobbly.
This morning, we said the new injury Winston suffered last week against Buffalo was possibly a rotator cuff strain in his throwing shoulder.
Winston is not stepping into throws, and his not transferring his weight normally to his front foot on his follow through is a mechanism of his original AC joint sprain suffered two weeks ago. The lack of strength on downfield throws is due to the rotator cuff injury.
Joe literally broke out into a cold sweat reading this. The story is linked above; you must set aside time to read it. It is equal parts fascinating and frightening.
If one is to believe Chao, Jameis’ mechanics, accuracy and arm strength are all screwed up as a result of the “new” injury. And if a guy is throwing with bad mechanics, that’s never good on the arm or shoulder. At all. Many a pitcher ruined his career with bad mechanics.
Joe is a baseball fan and the two words “rotator cuff” used in any context should scare the hell out of any Bucs fan. But there are three big issues Joe has with Chao’s analysis.
First, to the best of Joe’s knowledge, Chao has no medical information on Jameis (if he does, Chao never referenced this in his story), no test results, X-rays, no MRI images, only video and quotes from winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter. Football coaches don’t like to talk about injuries for obvious reasons, and Koetter has been a tad reluctant to go into a full, CSI-like disclosure what exactly is wrong with Jameis.
Second, Chao has never examined Jameis and is only going by game video, which is rather dicey. Even if Chao has video of a healthy Jameis to compare to, this is nothing more than a (very highly) educated guess.
Third, if Jameis does indeed have a rotator cuff injury as Chao thinks, how was it that Jameis went HAM on the Bills in the second half last week, recording perhaps his best game in the NFL? Mind you the injury in question came in the first half, and Jameis went bananas in the second half. If Chao is going to blame Jameis’ vomit-inducing game yesterday on a rotator cuff injury (which, in theory, is plausible), then why did it not appear to bother Jameis last week?
Joe isn’t saying Chao is wrong. Who the hell is Joe to question a doctor who studied at Harvard and Northwestern? But as any respectable doctor can tell you, without an examination, or at least test/X-ray results/MRI images, it’s borderline irresponsible for a diagnosis based solely on publicly-crafted words from a coach and video of two football games.
Again, Chao may be correct. But there seems to be a whole lot of hopscotch being played here to come to a conclusion.
Regardless, Joe is shaken by Chao’s claims, Joe curled up into a fetal position last night and held tight to a teddy bear while staring into the darkness of his lonely bedroom.
Hat tip: @TWilk84
October 30th, 2017 at 2:00 am
He needs to be shut down WTF just save the guys arm shut it down and give him the last quarter of the season to try and gain momentum going into 2018 season and let him know 2018 is his last shot at showing improvement and development.
October 30th, 2017 at 2:26 am
Season over anyway might as well rest him SMDH!
October 30th, 2017 at 2:44 am
Yesh think your first point there nails it. Non story.. sensationalism at best. He’s looking at a throwing motion as opposed to team doctors who have looked at actual test results
October 30th, 2017 at 2:49 am
BOY, WHAT A BIG LET DOWN THIS YEAR FOR ALL THE BUC BOSTER WHO BELIEVED IN DIRK… NOW WE CAN HOPE FOR GOOD DRAFT PICKS , OH,, WAIT A MINUTE , HELL THEY SCREWED THAT UP TOO, WE CAN’T EVEN HAVE FAITH IN THEM ON DRAFT DAY , SO WHAT PROMISES WE GET AND LIES…….I QUIT !!!
October 30th, 2017 at 2:49 am
I think concluding someone’s medical condition, with no access to relevant information or testing, is irresponsible at best. I trust the team doctors to provide the most accurate information to the coaching staff, and hopefully make the best decision regarding Winston’s long term health and career.
October 30th, 2017 at 3:17 am
like you insinuate yourself, this is baloney lol
October 30th, 2017 at 3:54 am
The Dirk handbook….
4th and 2, down by 2 scores, on the opposing team’s 40 yard line… your defense hasn’t stopped anything and you need to score points AND give your defense a rest… what do you do Dirk?
A) PUNT THE BALL
B) PUNT THE BALL
C) PUNT THE BALL
D) PUNT THE BALL
What say you?
October 30th, 2017 at 3:58 am
I’m by no mean a Dirk lover (although I did like him in Boogie Nights) – you simply can’t change your coaching staff every 2 years and except anything good to happen. Dirk needs to stick around, he needs to get a real OC or he needs to basically just be an OC that happens to be HC, meaning defense, special teams, they have their own strong coach that runs it completely. Changes must be made and in my opinion I continue to strongly believe that you should move Mike Smith to HC and demote Dirk back to OC and let him do what is best for the team.
October 30th, 2017 at 4:53 am
Don’t take a bullet for the gm cause he won’t draft defense and blows 2nd round picks.
Shut it down season is over…
October 30th, 2017 at 5:10 am
Or maybe Jameis just can’t hit the broad side of a barn. This is nothing new. But this team sucks in so many ways. Jameis may be better off going on IR and getting his shoulder fixed so he can be back next year. Let Fitz play, and in a few games, switch over to Griffin and let him finish it out. He needs the game experience.
Yes, this means the Bucs going 8-1 and making the playoffs is on hold.
October 30th, 2017 at 5:22 am
No idea if Dr. Chao is onto something of not, but several things were obvious from yesterday’s game: Jameis’ passes lacked their usual zip and many were more inaccurate than usual. As a result, he almost got his receivers whacked in several instances. He only practiced once (Friday) from what we’ve been told. Jameis had no business being out there and it cost us a potential win IMO. Partially that’s on Jameis; partially it’s on Dirk Koetter as the OC & HC, and partially it may be on the team docs. Jameis should’ve been shut down 2 games ago … no reason in this world to take a chance of further injury when he’s clearly not 100%.
Been a big fan of Dirk Koetter as an OC (in 2015) and also as a HC (2016). Not a fan at all of Dirk Koetter who’s BOTH the HC AND OC. Wearing 2 hats doesn’t work for most people, and Dirk Koetter is one of those ‘most people’. Against more coaching turmoil, but what I’m seeing is not good leadership IMO. It’s starting to look like Dirk puts too much faith in certain people … Jameis & team doctors for starters … and not enough trust in some others … Monken & Fitz for example. Clearly what he’s doing isn’t working, and good leaders fix that.
October 30th, 2017 at 5:51 am
I’m not a doctor, but it appears Jameis is suffering from a severe case of Suckitis!
October 30th, 2017 at 6:34 am
Jameis gets beat up regularly. The offensive line of you can call it that is a joke. Truth is Jameis and Cam had virtually the same stats. The major difference being the 3 TOs. 2 of which he was hit when releasing the ball but wtf do I know?
October 30th, 2017 at 6:35 am
This only matters for the Jameis the human. This means nothing for the Bucs at this point. It’s Over. Just get well, young man.
October 30th, 2017 at 6:44 am
@DEfense
In hindsight you were right about shutting Jameis down. Jameis can’t let his ego get in the way of whats best for the team . And Dirk has to make the right decision
on when to play Jameis or pull him if he is not effective due to injury.
You may also be right on Koetter but he has proven to be one of the better play callers in the league. Montgen is untested in this league and Evans yards per catch has slipped since he became offensive coordinator. Is a change at QB coach needed? Jameis is still starting too slow and making critical errors.
I think the offensive minds need to get together and identify and incoorporate
what jameis does well. I don’t see the accurracy in short game necessary to
sustain long drives yet. To me he is most effective in the 10-25 yard passes.
I would like to see Godwin and Howard more involved in this area.
Jameis needs to add the deep ball to his arsenal Hire an experienced
QB or coach to improve this aspect of his game.
October 30th, 2017 at 7:16 am
Shoulda signed Kap…,
October 30th, 2017 at 7:30 am
So the team doctors are not letting kwon play with a hammy nor grimes play with a shoulder injury but are letting “the franchise quarterback” potentially mess up his throwing shoulder even more by playing
Especially after all the news on how Andrew luck has potentially put his career in jeopardy And the bucs having a losing record
Yah right. Let this guy see the MRI so he can stop being a conspiracy theorist
October 30th, 2017 at 7:34 am
I think if we play Fitz yesterday, we win the game.
October 30th, 2017 at 7:34 am
I’m going back to when I had my major shoulder surgery by a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon.
From preconsults to post ops to rehab it was about a year before it “normal” but that didn’t mean I was 100%…..plus at one point I thought I was healed enough and start pushing weights and realize after more strain I wasn’t at my 8 month point.
My point is, your shoulder and everything in there is very complex and it’s very easy to re-injure it like I did with mine and I wasn’t trying to chuck a football with a whole lot of force down the field either.
I am assuming being on the highest sports level there is, is that the Bucs have the best doctors…..so obviously they know better…….BUT….if Jameis was thinking like I did and “felt” like everything is “fine” when reality your not healed 100%.
I can only say from experience that the best choice for Jameis is to let himself heal 100% before he goes at it again because if he keeps on re-injuring himself more and more…..it’s going to lead to major surgery and a very long time off with rehab.
October 30th, 2017 at 7:44 am
Hate to say it but the Bucs should take a QB in the 1st round next April…..let the best man win and let Aimless play out his 5 year deal then go with the best of the 2 and trade the other….
October 30th, 2017 at 7:49 am
The bucs will probably draft a QB in the 3rd or 4th round this coming draft. They need another MG8 to tide the pine from 4 to 5 years
…..but…..maybe….after the bears release MG8….the bucs resign MG8 ?????
October 30th, 2017 at 7:50 am
At this point Jameis should not be playing if his throwing shoulder is not 100%. I also like Dirk but he has to give one of his “hats” up. I say that and then look at what McVay has done in LA, which is my example to the folks saying can’t be changing coaches every 2 years.
Smith is no Wade Phillips and without focusing on play calling completely, Dirks offense is too simple. Doesn’t make in game changes well and frankly doesn’t look to have much of a plan from the outset. This team is too talented to not get more creative on offense to open things up. O line has played pretty well. Something has gotta change and whatever it is… hopefully it makes Jameis more consistent. I hope he was hurt today cause he was garbage.
October 30th, 2017 at 7:54 am
I hate to say it but I think Locked In is right. Fitz probably wins that game. Jameis could not have felt right. All he had to do on that throw to DJax was hit the right half of the endzone and Djax has an easy score.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:00 am
All anyone has to do is watch Jameis’s first two passes yesterday….unless the shoulder has been an issue from day one…his inaccuracy is very didturbing
October 30th, 2017 at 8:02 am
If Winston does have any kind of shoulder injury they need to sit him and let him recover. They aren’t making the playoffs this year so there is no point in being worried about winning any more games.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:27 am
Season Is over anyway. Joe we new draft articles please.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:38 am
You’re silly, AlteredEgo
October 30th, 2017 at 8:40 am
I sincerely hope that if there is a medical issue that only time will heal that Licht and Koetter will be told by the Glazers to sit Jameis. We can’t trust a coach who has a team imploding and a GM that whiffed on the entire draft class of 2016 to do what is right for the franchise long term. Both of these guys are probably feeling the heat right now and will do anything to try and get some wins. Jameis is here for the long term and we need to look after his health if he wont.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:41 am
i guess that explains why he underthrew djax yesterday….GO BUCS!!!
October 30th, 2017 at 8:41 am
shut him down and go with fitz do not need some BS andrew luck mis diagnosis
October 30th, 2017 at 8:43 am
A slight tear can turn into a full tear. Any tear can lead to what’s worse a torn labrum. Get the surgery done now if that’s what it is. The new regime next year deserves having Jameis 100 percent when they take over.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:44 am
Let’s run Winston out of town so he can win a Superbowl with another team, like we did with Steve Young,
October 30th, 2017 at 8:49 am
Why is Jameis playing with a hurt shoulder? He has ONLY practiced 1 day each of the last 2 weeks and this week it showed. I said before the Buffalo game that he should sit and let his shoulder heal but WTF do I know. Now it seems to be getting worse and he will probably need to have surgery to repair it. I think Fitz could get the job done and MAY have won yesterday if he had played. Who cares which one of them starts? The season is OVER! Besides, Fitzy scored more in a quarter and a half than Jameis has in ANY game this season playing the whole game. I don’t care about stats OR consecutive starts at this point, I’m starting to not care about the season either. Another year it is hard to be a BUCS fan. When is it going to change in Tampa? I am sick of the excuses ALL the time. The defense played good enough to win yesterday but our offense couldn’t score enough points to win yet again. Just sit his a$$ so he can heal or have surgery, whatever it takes to get him back to 100%. All this is doing is giving people more excuses about how Jameis played. He ONLY played one good half of football against the Bills and completed the comeback against the Giants. That’s it this year! TIME TO SHUT HIM DOWN IMO!
October 30th, 2017 at 8:59 am
Oh yeah, Fitz would have hit that pass to ME13 for a touchdown too.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:59 am
Any chance we could trade JW to San Francisco for John Lynch. Give Lynch complete control of Football Operations.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:04 am
I hate to keep saying this but we have a large amount of idiotic fans that post on these boards.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:08 am
What a bunch of posers.
First off, the article does not take into account the times when Jameis scrambled and ran the ball, and then took hits. Don’t you think those hits may have added to the pain he was feeling? Affected his accuracy?
Heck, on one of those hits, he practically landed on his shoulder and flipped over with his feet high in the air.
I think he needs rest, and its clear he does not want to lose a start, but the smart thing is to sit him for a week or two and see how he heals up.
But let me be clear…playing him did not cost us yesterday’s game. We NEVER had a chance to win that game. Injuries pretty much assured us of that, and not just Jameis’ injury.
We do not have a chance to win next week’s game either, so sitting Winston makes a lot of sense for next week. Maybe his condition will improve.
Blaming the offensive line is stupid. They protected him for the most part, aside from a few plays. And you cannot hold them accountable for hits he takes when he runs the ball. The offensive line isn’t great yet, but it is good enough to get the job done as it improves over this season.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:08 am
You’re going to start hearing the fire the coach stuff.. in fact your hearing it already. Its amazing how fast fans turn on a coach.
I have news for you people.. you should have learned not to fire coaches, a few coaches ago! Now its too late.
Koetter has some learning to do, but he’s going to have to learn on the job, because ANOTHER coaching change, is just silly.
It was silly when Lovie was fired. Now you would be talking 6 head coaches in 11 years.
If anyone out there thinks that you can develop a winning program by having 6 different head coaches in 11 years then you’ve found a Cleveland Browns fan.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:11 am
Also…Jameis did not have his head in the game. You could tell by his press conferences this past week. The normal upbeat personality was not there. He was down in the dumps, more focused on the loss than on the coming game…and since he only practiced Friday, he didn’t have and real distractions from thinking about it.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:12 am
Do NOT fire Koetter or Licht!
October 30th, 2017 at 9:12 am
If Jameis needs to be shut down for an extended period of time, it might be the best thing that could happen to this team long term. I believe Jameis could benefit from watching for a little bit. If Jameis is down for most of the season it takes pressure off the win now philosophy and probably buys the coaches more time. Finally, if the Bucs tank without him it will improve our draft position, and I’m sure all would agree this team still needs a talent upgrade across many positions. At 2-5 if anything about his shoulder isn’t right, we need to start thinking about next year.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:14 am
@Nick
You nailed it. Some dimwits think Gruden will come back, but it isn’t going to happen, even if the opportunity is there. Then they’ll complain later because the replacement isn’t good enough.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:38 am
Lol I’m through commenting. I will just laugh at the Tampa Bay Yucs with the rest of the 325 million people in America.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:46 am
Lakeland you suck. Troll.
October 30th, 2017 at 9:46 am
These coaches and GM jobs are on the line, that’s why they won’t shut him down. But they better, before this turns into an Andrew Luck injury ordeal. This coaching staff is on borrowed time.
October 30th, 2017 at 10:16 am
LOL Tampa Bay Yucs
October 30th, 2017 at 10:58 am
Like I’ve said in previous post, Koetter won’t be satisfied until Jameis’s shoulder rips off. he should have rested him 2 complete games after that injury on the field. Mark my words..That shoulder will get worse until he’s out for the season. Teams are studying exactly where to hit him. There is no mecy in this NFL. And there will be no mercy for you Mr. Koetter. Just like it was none for your new fishing buddies..Schiano and Lovie Dubbie!
October 30th, 2017 at 11:24 am
Has this shoulder injury been around since Mr. Winston was at FSU? He’s just not that accurate in his deep throws. Or the mid level , or the short passes. He is high low off to the right or left. That sure does look from my seat as a reoccurring issue. Can it be corrected? There in lies the important question. If it can wonderful, if not then our Franchise needs to move on.
October 30th, 2017 at 11:44 am
LOL. I trust the guys examining him about 10000000000x more than some guy who watched Jameis throw on TV.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:01 pm
TheBucsAnthem
mg8 has proven once in for all he is NOT a nfl quarterback. it makes no sense to bring back someone who has proven on the field beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can NOT play the nfl qb position without a hundred excuses to offset his actual on field performance.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:56 pm
Seems pretty believable to me.
The announcers said he reinjured his shoulder against buffalo and that he looked terrible throwing on Friday in practice.
October 30th, 2017 at 8:52 pm
Eat a dik bonzai, such a damn homer