Teddy Bridgewater’s preseason injury was so grim it challenged the NFL’s culture of Next Man Up. This is the story of what his teammates saw, felt and never will forget.
The Men who Agree to Talk about what happened do so reluctantly. Their eyes invariably drift to the spot in question: the grass practice field, somewhere near the 30-yard line, right hash. It happened with the offense heading north, 22 men on the field, no contact allowed.
They won’t talk about what the injury looked like, out of respect. These are men who long ago came to terms with the inhumanity of their game. They laugh about concussions and broken bones as a defense mechanism, the way an electrician might laugh with his buddies about getting a jolt from a faulty circuit. Occupational hazard.
But this is different. They close their eyes and wince, the image flashing in their minds. They shake their heads reflexively, as if they can dislodge the memory and evict it from their brains. They watched Teddy Bridgewater go down on that field on Aug. 30, his left leg separating at the knee,during the first minutes of a Vikings preseason practice. Every time they think about it, every time they stand near this field and close their eyes, they see it again.
INJURIES IN THE NFL are commodified, sloganized, reduced to transactions. They’re interchangeable, disposable, devoid of pain. They’re dehumanized, disembodied, such an expected part of the game that they’ve got their own capitalized catchphrase: Next Man Up.
Check the injury report, adjust your fantasy team. See how easy this is? How painless? One goes down, another pops up.
“I hate that exact saying—Next Man Up,” Vikings guard Alex Boone says. “That’s f---ed up because it makes it sound like we’re barbarians. Like we don’t care: ‘F--- it, he’s hurt, move on.’ It’s terrible to say that. A guy gets hurt and all of a sudden everyone is like, ‘Oh, who was that guy?’ ”
This story is from the November 14,2016 edition of ESPN The Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 14,2016 edition of ESPN The Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.
Eternal Champions
Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.
The Higher Power of Russell Wilson
How Russell Wilson kept the faith during the Seahawks’ darkest hours.
25 Things We Thought We Knew About the College Football Season
Teen pregnancy usually gets the spotlight, but women in their 20s have much greater numbers of unwanted pregnancies. And for Latinas, that raises the stakes.
Watch the Throne: LeBron James vs Stephen Curry
Will Stephen Curry’s rise lead to the fall of LeBron James?
