Dolphins’ CB Byron James becomes the second NFL player to call out the ‘gross’ medical negligence by the league, directly BLAMES for his declined abilities
Byron James warns the 2023 draft class to take the advice of league doctors with a grain of salt.
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Byron James (Image via Miami Dolphins)
A few weeks back, former Philadelphia Eagles captain Chris Maragos won a lawsuit against a team of doctors who botched his surgery, effectively ending his professional football career. The guilty were ordered by the court to pay Maragos $43.5 million in damages for their medical negligence.
After Marago’s decision was made public, several NFL players came out and spoke about the medical inefficiency in the league. Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was one of the notable players who called out the NFL for their “cheap and uneducated” medical staff. Thomas wrote, “right decision. the nfl medical sucks, cheap, and uneducated their job requires barely any education or curriculum.”
During the regular season, Miami Dolphins’ medical staff came under a lot of heat after they repeatedly cleared quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to come back on the field after suffering concussions. The team was eventually fired but the rules need to be stricter and after Damar Hamlin’s tragic incident that happened at the start of 2023; the league needs to take special precautions about the medical status of players on and off the field.
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Byron James missed the entire 2022 season
After Michael Thomas criticized the NFL’s medical staff in a series of quickly deleted tweets, Dolphins cornerback Byron James came forward in a post on social media and warned players from following the advice of league doctors blindly. James tweeted, “Much has changed in 8 years. Today I can’t run or jump because of my injuries sustained playing this game. DO NOT take the pills they give you. DO NOT take the injections they give you. If you absolutely must, consult an outside doctor to learn the long-term implications.”
Byron James missed the entire 2022 season because he was recovering from surgery on his Achilles tendon. The former first-round linebacker signed a five-year $86 million contract with the Miami Dolphins that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. He added, “It was an honor and privilege to play in the NFL but it came at a regrettable cost I did not foresee. In my opinion, no amount of professional success or financial gain is worth avoidable chronic pain and disabilities. Godspeed to the draft class of 2023.”
As per ESPN sources, James is not retiring. He is well on his way to recovering, but there is a high probability that the Dolphins might cut him this offseason. The 30-year-old linebacker has a cap hit of $18.3 million in 2023. But the Dolphins can save up to $13 million if they trade or release him after June 1. It is to be seen what the future holds for Byron James in the NFL.
The league should make sure that the medical team they employ is the best because football is a contact heavy sport and players tend to get injured a lot. If proper medical attention is not provided, it may cause bodily harm as well as stop them from pursuing their professional career.
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Yash Karandekar
(1023 Articles Published)