An Unprecedented Season with an Unprecedented Amount of Injuries

Even though football has brought joy to many fans during the pandemic, it has come at a serious price: a shocking amount of severe injuries. Some of the big names who have suffered season-ending injuries include Saquon Barkley, Dak Prescott, Odell Beckham Jr, and last year’s number one draft pick, Joe Burrow.

Of course, NFL injuries occur every season and are unfortunately part of every sport, but it is important to ask: is this bad injury year a coincidence or were there other factors at play that caused an increase?

Many hypothesize the spike in injuries is due to a less rigorous offseason program. The NFL decided to eliminate the typical four preseason games and there were no organized practices before training camp. As a result, players had to prepare on their own, which further complicated things due to gym closures.

Doctors have seen a specific uptick in soft-tissue injuries, like achilles ruptures, as a result of a lackluster offseason. Yahoo Sports conducted a study that looked at Achilles tendon ruptures between 2009 and 2016, reporting about 101 cases, a number that works out to about 12.6 ruptures per year. This year, the NFL surpassed that average by October. Specifically, players appear not to have had enough time to build up elasticity to be able to make quick, explosive movements.

The 49ers have been hit especially hard with injuries this year. They have lost arguably their most explosive weapons on both sides of the ball: tight end George Kittle, and defensive end Nick Bosa. Also, quarterback Jimmy Garropolo has dealt with a stingy high ankle sprain that has sidelined him for all but 6 games. Even the free agents the Niners have signed, like defensive end Ezekiel Ansah and wide-receiver Tavon Austin, suffered season-ending injuries within a few weeks of their signing.

Injuries have also influenced the way fans watch the game. Winston Ingalls, a junior and avid football watcher, says that he “can only watch football casually now [because] seeing constant season-ending injuries is degrading and makes the viewer feel guilty.”
All in all, the NFL and fans have learned how essential proper preparation is for these athletes, especially in such a physically demanding sport like football.