Late in the 2011 NFL season, Chicago Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox suffered a serious back injury in a game against the Seattle Seahawks. As you can see in this video, Knox went down at just the right angle when defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove was lowering himself to make the tackle. This led to Knox, who's small for even an NFL receiver, to be literally be bent in half.
Johnny Knox Could Miss Bears’ Entire 2012 Season
Knox immediately went to the hospital and needed surgery to stabilize his back. While doctors have said Knox should be able to resume his NFL career in time, it looks as if the wide receiver could miss the 2012 NFL season. He wants to take his time and make sure he recovers properly.
‘‘It could happen, but I’m staying optimistic,” Knox told the Chicago Sun Times about missing the season. ‘‘My main focus is in the weight room. I’m not in a rush. This is my spine, the core of my body I’m dealing with. It’s not my knee, ankle or shoulder. I’m taking my time.”
While recovering from the surgery Knox told the Sun Times that he lost about 30 pounds, which would put him at around 155-160 pounds based on his listed weight of 185. Knox also said that he has done some jogging, but no route running, and has began to do light weightlifting to rebuild muscle in his body.
Knox was second in the NFL with 19.6 yards per catch last season and at the time of the injury he had 37 receptions for a team-leading 727 yards and two touchdowns
For more on Knox and the Bears, be sure to check out the SB Nation blog Windy City Gridiron.
See More:
