The NFL season opener for the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos on September 9 was a game that many would like to file away in the category of unforgettable. Not only because of the last second field goal that gave the Broncos the victory but more so because of the life-threatening injury that Bills tight-end Kevin Everett sustained during the opening of the second half. Everett fell lifelessly to the field after attempting to tackle Broncos player Domenik Hixon. Players huddled together to say a prayer for Everett as medical personnel prepared him to be taken away in an ambulance.
Everett underwent successful surgery and was sedated with the assistance of a respirator in the immediate days following the procedure. Doctors characterized the trauma as a cervical spine injury that had the possible effect of leaving the player paralyzed for the remainder of his life. Most recently, Everett has regained feeling and movement in some parts of his body and doctor’s now believe that the 25 year old may be able to walk again due to his remarkable progress thus far.
The fact that Everett may fully recuperate is a great piece of news. More importantly this event has allowed athletes to question whether their profession of choice is worth taking part in. Many would define the worthiness of a profession by various standards such as compensation and liesure time. But in the realm of professional sports one has various other concerns that are not considered by those in “regular” occupations. For example, an athlete that is asked to make high risk plays only a few times a game, may have to rethink his career options because of the unlikely possibility of earning more playing time and overall exposure. On the other hand, it can be argued that the risk of bodily injury is worthwhile for players that are able to showcase their talents more prominently on the field for greater compensation and media exposure. Oddly, those that get more playing time are at a greater statistical risk of serious injury but are less likely to consider this possibility due to their overarching responsibilities on and off the field.
Cliché or not, the intangible factor of passion for the game may be a valid reason to the risk injury in athletics. Everett for example, struggled with injuries from the very start of his career and was primarily a special teams player in 2006. The fact that he was on his way to more playing time provides some insight to his continued dedication to the game even when he faced impediments earlier on. At the end of the day, professional athletes embark on career paths that provide for lucrative opportunities must understand that with every snap of the ball they may have to fight for their lives in the very next moment.
It appears that Kevin Everett has won the battle for his life and can now focus on the goal of learning to walk again one day. Let this be a lesson to others.
