“Not Waiting Til It Happens”
June 16th, 2019
O.J. Howard seemed to punishing himself back in May during an exclusive chat with JoeBucsFan.com, almost blaming the injuries he’s suffered the past two seasons on himself. It felt awfully harsh.
Before June minicamp ended, Howard elaborated.
Manbeast JoeBucsFan.com Zachary Seifter asked Howard what he’s doing this offseason that’s “specifically different” to his approach in order to stay healthy.
“Yeah, mostly, I just started prehab. You know, I’m doing it before it happens, keeping my ankles and everything in great condition,” Howard said. “I’m staying after practice right now late just to keep my body up to the top notch it can be to be healthy for 16 games. So that’s just something I’m doing different and not waiting til it happens.”
Joe previously has shared the photo of Howard’s season-ending ankle injury on the Meadowlands turf in November. Take a look. Is that his fault? Could preventative strength work on Howard’s ankles helped a faster recovery? Maybe.
Regardless, Howard’s attitude is exemplary, just what a team should expect from a 24-year-old, first-round pick entering his prime years. Howard looked very strong and healthy during spring practices.
Joe asked Howard if he felt faster — since he looked a little faster. Howard smiled and said he wouldn’t mind running a couple of 40-yard dashes to find out.
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June 16th, 2019 at 9:13 am
Ouch…hurts to look at the pic. We know OJ has special talent…it would be great and go far to push him toward pro-bowl stature if he can survive a season without major injury.
June 16th, 2019 at 9:16 am
I really hope he does not become ASJ 2.0.
So far, he hasn’t proven anything, and until he does, we need to keep Brate.
June 16th, 2019 at 9:43 am
ASJ 2.0?
ASJ was more concerned with partying than football. The Jaguars paid him and now he’s currently out of football for being a jack ass!
By all accounts, OJ is a great kid.
June 16th, 2019 at 9:55 am
U can’t mention asj and oj in the same sentence.
Howard is a man and asj is a punk
June 16th, 2019 at 10:21 am
1-15
June 16th, 2019 at 10:24 am
It’s a wonder he didn’t come out of that with a broken leg.
I read recently that running in sand is the best way to strengthen ankles. Some beach runs is the ticket!
June 16th, 2019 at 10:24 am
C’mon Bonzai. You’re better than that take. There is NO comparison between the two. OJ has proven himself to be a reliable pass catcher with elite speed for a TE. BA will make him the monster that he is because he will be utilized far more often IMO.
June 16th, 2019 at 10:35 am
!@ Bonzai: I disagree. Howard has proven plenty. He is a stud, pure and simple.
What he has NOT proven is the ability to stay injury-free. I just don’t know how much is his fault.
Fact is some humans have stronger soft tissue than others.
June 16th, 2019 at 10:43 am
2018 was unavoidable
He was on his way to a huge season until the freak injury
If he and Evans has a qb with some accuracy and able to lead a receiver their explosive plays would double
Having to reach back and constantly adjust for catches has opened both up for big hits
June 16th, 2019 at 11:19 am
I just think footballs a violent game and injuries are by chance, especially when when you have 5”10 corners doing whatever they can to get him down from behind. Steph Curry has serious ankle injuries his first few years in the league but now wears heavy braces to prevent them. OJ will be a top 5 tight end if he stays healthy especially going into his third year and understanding how defenses are going to try and defend him. I see 10+ td catches similar to how Wbron broke out for Indy last year. I see Bruce putting OJ and Jameis in a position to thrive if our online holds up.
June 16th, 2019 at 11:22 am
I’m pretty sure Bonzai doesn’t mean he needs to prove him self as a professional but more as he needs to prove he can stay healthy for the whole season an stay on the field. ASJ couldn’t stay healthy either but he had a lot more off the field problems than he had on the field
June 16th, 2019 at 11:25 am
Dyslexic Succaneer says 15-1.
June 16th, 2019 at 12:08 pm
One of the players who always impressed me was Warrick Dunn. He played 181 games in the regular season plus 10 playoff games. He rushed 2,669 times in the regular season plus another 136 times in the playoffs (total of 2,805 rushes). He caught 510 passes in those 12 years plus another 38 in the playoffs (total of 548 receptions). That combined total of 3353 rushes & passes over 12 years equates to getting tackled about 18 times/game average.
And yet Dunn stayed amazingly healthy year after year. At 5’9″ & 180 lbs you’d think he would’ve gotten REALLY beaten up in his 12 seasons as a RB. Quite the contrary … he averaged 15 games per regular season plus his playoffs appearances. I remember an interview someone did with him many years ago and he said (as I remember) that it’s all about knowing how to take a hit. He had great ‘awareness’ and was a master at glancing off defenders.
OJ MAYBE could learn a thing or two from Warrick Dunn. Sometimes lowering your head and always trying to run through defenders hurts you more than it does them. Hopefully he stays healthy this year because we definitely need both his receptions AND his blocking.
June 16th, 2019 at 12:29 pm
That’s about the trolliest comment I’ve ever seen from you Bonzai…..
June 16th, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Love Brate but his an over sized WR. Not the best blocker. But that could change with better technique. Luke Stocker and Logan Mankins where a big reason for that 2015 running game.
June 16th, 2019 at 1:04 pm
@Defense Rules: speaking from personal experience, the hits that hurt the most were from smaller guys, those about my size or smaller (I played at a skinny 200.)
When a big guy hits you, you pretty much just bounce off or go down with him with your feet off the ground. When a smaller guy hits you, it’s like being hit with a swarm of bees: they are all over you, and often you go down clumsily.
That’s why smaller guys don’t seem to get hurt as much as bigger guys.
Also, smaller guys are more difficult for a big guy to hit. I know it’s counter-intuitive, but it’s true.
Small guy hits big guy: the main risk is ankles and knees.
Big guy hits a smaller guy: the main risk is shoulders and arms.
So it’s no wonder a guy like Dunn can survive. Many smaller guys have, especially shorter RB’s.
And not all connective tissue is created equal.
June 16th, 2019 at 1:54 pm
Cobraboy … Great perspective, thanks.
And I always thought it was because opposing were afraid that if they creamed Warrick, that Mike Alstott might get angry and come after them. (The two of them … Thunder & Lightning … made a great pair).
June 16th, 2019 at 3:46 pm
Loyaltotheend ,how much rent does Jameis pay to live in your head? I’m sure its cheap and spacious.
June 16th, 2019 at 5:15 pm
Every fan should be so excited about this young man and ESPECIALLY his attitude! For those of you who don’t understand THIS is culture change and it is happening right in front of us. Just like my father used to say I don’t want to hear your excuses show me what you are doing NOW to change things.
June 16th, 2019 at 5:19 pm
I guess we’ve been so used to the dancing, crying, whining, clown show that we have become numb to even the great things happening with this team.
June 16th, 2019 at 6:31 pm
Bucnjim Says:
Best post since Arians was hired.
Buc fans are so mentally and emotionally beat down after the post-Gruden Coaching Clown Show, they can’t even feel the ground beneath them shift.
June 16th, 2019 at 8:09 pm
Happy Father’s Day to BA, who is raising our Bucs to new heights.
June 16th, 2019 at 9:45 pm
Imagine if oj was working with a top 10 qb ???
June 16th, 2019 at 9:55 pm
Cobraboy,
You are so right about being mentally drained. Although whenever you have so many people pointing down it usually goes the opposite way. My money is on the Bucs drastically improving and surprising even the harshest critics. Thanks for the kind words as well.
June 17th, 2019 at 12:17 am
Cobra,
I’d add another factor in the big vs small comparison. Small guys if you can hit them , go down. A bigger stronger player will usually not go down on the first hit, often one player wraps or hangs on and another player comes in and delivers a blow to a stationary target. Multiple hits per play increase the chance of injury.
Alsott and Dunn, if you ask most fans , Dunn was the outside runner. Dunn was most effective between the tackles . If an offensive lineman could stand up the defensive player, Dunn was under and past him in a flash. It’s hard to see a small back behind a big line. Even harder to get a clean hit.
June 17th, 2019 at 12:20 am
Cobra,
I’d sworn you’ve said you were a kicker . Did you play any football?