Max Starks: Tom Brady Not On Injury Report Nothing New
July 23rd, 2021
Injury report accuracy.
Very interesting behind-the-scenes details on how accurate the weekly in-season NFL injury reports are from a couple of guys who have been around the block in the league.
Yesterday on “Movin’ the Chains,” with co-hosts Max Starks and “The Professor,” John Clayton, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the subject of park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, Bucs-Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady never being listed on an injury report last year despite playing with a torn MCL was discussed.
Both said injured players left off an injury report is nothing new at all.
Clayton, who lives in Seattle and once upon a time was a Seahawks beat guy, claims one season then-Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman was hurt all year but not once in the 16 regular season games or the postseason did his name appear on an injury report. This was because Sherman was able to answer the bell each week, Clayton added.
Starks, who was Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians’ starting left tackle when Arians was the Steelers offensive coordinator, claimed he played the entire 2008 season with a torn labrum and he was never on an injury report.
Why?
Starks said because it was known by Steelers officials he could take the field each Sunday. The Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl.
“Players do that all the time,” Starks said of players not reporting injuries to team trainers or medical staff. “If it doesn’t inhibit them from actually playing, and they don’t miss time… but if it doesn’t inhibit your play or decrease the level of your play, then there’s no need to report it.”
A lesser-known player doing this is one thing. A major NFL figure like Brady at football’s most important position not being listed on an injury report is something different.
Just on face value, this would seem to be a brazen violation of NFL rules.
Joe has to wonder, now that the NFL is fully in bed with gambling outfits, if the league (or new sponsors from our friends in the desert) will squeeze teams to be more accurate and/or forthcoming with their injury reports?
For example, Caesars Entertainment, parent company of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (among other casinos and resorts) recently purchased naming rights to the Superdome in New Orleans for the next 20 years.
Let’s just say after a couple of shady injury reports released by the Saints, it’s not far-fetched to envision a Caesars’ shot-caller high up the food chain calling the Saints and saying something like, “Do I need to remind you how many tens of millions of dollars we are dropping indirectly in your lap? So why can’t we get a straight injury report out of that Taysom Hill-loving coach of yours?”
As always, follow the money.
July 23rd, 2021 at 2:42 pm
I firmly believe Belichick follows the opposite strategy: If a player is working through a very minor injury, he ends up on the injury report. Why? Because it’s a shell game. Sometimes New England injury reports read like a casualty list from the Battle of the Bulge. The real purpose is to hide the more serious injuries from the opposition, so that they have no idea where your weaknesses really lie.
July 23rd, 2021 at 2:48 pm
I don’t understand the issue. Brady played all 20 games this season and was never removed or benched due to injury. Is Blaine Gabbert’s camp pushing this story?
July 23rd, 2021 at 2:53 pm
The average Swami would agree with that
July 23rd, 2021 at 3:15 pm
I think it more likely that Caesars would be getting the real info, and telling the Saints to keep the injury report shady. We’d hate for there to be an accident, you know I’m saying?
July 23rd, 2021 at 3:59 pm
I agree. The gambling houses probably have a great deal of influence on the NFL at the highest levels. Probably have for a long time.
July 23rd, 2021 at 5:21 pm
This is a 3-14 team if Gabbert is the QB… all that talk about an elite defense would be put to rest, quickly. Need to do everything possible to make sure Brady is OK since the Bucs have skipped on a legit backup QB option for 2-years in a row now.
July 23rd, 2021 at 8:17 pm
Funny how the networks have been pushing point spreads/ betting innuendo for the last couple years. I just worry about the integrity for the game…. well and life in general too….but….fug it, GO BUCS!! World CHAMPIONS!!
July 23rd, 2021 at 8:37 pm
It is a non-issue because Brady played well. The NFL will look the other way. Now aa injury issue that affects the player in a real way, undisclosed but known to somebody who placed a bet on the team to lose – then it will become an issue.
July 24th, 2021 at 9:36 am
So if he had reported it, what would have happened? Guys would have bet against the Bucs. And how would that have worked out? Losing money. So no harm done. If the organization didn’t know conclusively, I don’t see any problem.
July 24th, 2021 at 11:55 am
Perhaps I’m just naive, or maybe I’m just not into gambling, but I couldn’t care less about gamblers losing money on a game, because they weren’t made aware of an injury. If you’re stupid enough to put down your hard-earned money on that (sorry, but I think it is kind of stupid to gamble) then you should be well aware of the inherent risk of what comes with that, including teams not divulging injuries of players who will be playing regardless.
I’m sure I’ll get ripped apart by other people here for my comment, but I honestly don’t care.
July 24th, 2021 at 11:35 pm
Brady and the Bucs will skate, as they should.