The Jacksonville Jaguars have turned a lot of heads this season in becoming a dominant force in the NFL. Like many of the top teams this year, Jacksonville managed to find success primarily due to their several years as a perennial cellar team. Each poor season allowed them to draft an arsenal of high-level talent that has pushed them to become one of the most talented teams in the league. Unfortunately, one of their most important players doesn’t take his role on the team seriously enough to accept help.
Jaguars QB declines cart after injury
During the second half of Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville star quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a substantial injury to his ankle. Apparently in a decent amount of pain, Lawrence was helped off the field and went immediately to the medical tent to begin tests and diagnostic procedure.
What wasn’t widely known at this time is that the Jacksonville medical staff asked Lawrence if he wanted a cart to carry him off the field and into the locker room. Lawrence told reporters on Wednesday that because of his proximity to the tunnel entrance, he thought it would be faster for him to walk to the locker room and X-ray facility than to wait for the cart to come out to him. He expressed him regret at his decision following on Wednesday:“We talked about getting a cart and I was going to get a cart, and then I’m standing there and I’m already on the sideline at that point, the tunnel’s right there, I just wanted to get off the field, get out of there. I didn’t know what was going on with my ankle, and I felt like I could get off [the field]. I was like, ‘Hey, you’re good. Just don’t bring it out. I’m going in.’ And then once I got in there [the hallway], I’m like, ‘This is a pretty long walk.’ They asked again if I wanted a cart. I’m like, ‘No, we’re going to make it the whole way there.'”
Many have found the Jaguars liable for the poor decision made by the Jaguars quarterback:
“We have everything we need, and I was the one that that didn’t choose to take [a cart], so you guys put that on me, Maybe that was dumb. Maybe I should have taken one, but it’s nothing to do with us not having a cart available. I don’t think that would happen in the National Football League, especially here with the crew that we have.”
Head Coach Doug Pederson had his own comments on the matter after his injury, indicating that he thought Lawrence playing was more beneficial to the team than to let him rest.
“It’s our job to protect those players and make sure [putting them back on the field] is not at the cost of winning a football game,” Pederson said. “And yes, we are in this last sort of month of the year where we’re making our run, but we also know, too, that if Trevor can’t play in this game, there’s going to come a time at some point where he is.
Both Lawrence and the Jaguars were incredibly lucky it ended up “only” being a high ankle sprain. The Jaguars will continue on their miraculous season and look to make a run into the playoffs.
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