Johnson's dislocated ankle "an ugly sight"
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Johnson's dislocated ankle "an ugly sight"
Zach Berman and Jeff McLane
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Wide receiver Ron Johnson suffered a gruesome injury in which he dislocated his ankle during the afternoon practice at Eagles training camp.
Johnson attempted to put his ankle back into place but the team medical staff believed he could not because the outside bone of his ankle had broken. The second-year receiver was taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital for further evaluation, the team said.
"He tried to reduce it himself and it wouldn't stay in," Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder said. "Dr. Peter DeLuca was with us on the field. He tried to reduce it on the field and it wouldn't stay in, and the reason it wouldn't stay in, we think, was there was a fracture on the outside."
The injury occurred during 7 on 7 drills. Johnson went over the middle and tried to grab a low pass from quarterback Mike Kafka, but he fell over himself.
"He just fell awkwardly and landed over top of his body," said safety O.J. Atogwe, who held Johnson's hand as he lay on the ground. "Sometimes the body falls in ways it isn't supposed to."
Kafka and several Eagles players turned away after watching the injury.
"He was in a lot pain. It was as an ugly sight, as you heard the crowd 'Oooo' and 'Ahh,'" Burkholder said. "My assistant ... did the right thing by covering it up with a towel so the kid doesn't see it."
Johnson's leg was stablized with an air cast before he was lifted onto the back of a cart. As he was carted off the field, several players came over to offer support and fans gave him an ovation. Johnson pointed his finger to the sky.
Johnson was drafted in the sixth round by the 49ers last year but was released before the season. The Eagles added him to their practice squad where he stayed until the final game of the season when they added him to the 53-man roster. He did not dress for the season finale, however.
"He worked out all offseason like a wild man, and you hate seeing that," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He’s a great, great kid and a good player, too. He’s a phenomenal player. He really had a chance to do something with our football team."
The Eagles are down two receivers since the start of camp. Riley Cooper broke his left collarbone and will be sidelined for six weeks. He had surgery on Monday. Reid said Sunday that he had no immediate plans to add another receiver, but the Johnson injury -- likely a season-ending one -- may lead to a signing.
The Eagles worked out Travis Cobb, an undrafted rookie, earlier today.
Defensive end Jason Babin had an MRI on his calf and it confirmed the team's original diagnosis of a strain. There is no set timetable for his return, the Eagles said.
FROM EARLIER:
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The Eagles suffered their second injury to a wide receiver in three days when Ronald Johnson fell to the ground with an apparent ankle injury in Monday's practice. He was carted off the field after the medical staff tended to him for minutes.
There will be more information available after practice.
Johnson, who spent most of the 2011 season on the Eagles practice, was crossing the middle of the field and adjusted for a pass from from Mike Kafka when his ankle seemed to get caught behind him. It twisted in a bad direction and was dangling as he dropped to the ground. His teammates and coach Andy Reid surrounded him while the fans quieted. They gave him an ovation as he was carted off.
The injury could potentially be a major blow to Johnson, who spent the offseason working out in Philadelphia and was eager for training camp. Johnson learned the Eagles' system last season and was promoted to the active roster for the final game.
A USC product who was a sixth-round pick by the 49ers, Johnson was trying to separate himself in a crowded wide receivers corps.
Riley Cooper is already out for six weeks with a fractured collar bone, and the Eagles said Sunday they did not plan on adding to the group. Johnson's injury might change that, because the group went from 12 to 10 in three days. The Eagles worked out undrafted rookie Travis Cobb on Monday morning.
Why not work out Braylon Edwards?— jhig713- He is 35 and on the downside. Edwards at 29 still has potential and can be more that just a one trick pony. Given Edwards never had a good QB to throw to him, plus our supporting cast, he could flourish. — jhig713
- Andy Reid pushes his players too hard in training camp with these endless contact drills in the heat. Every year he loses 1-2 players for the season due to training camp injuries. The goal is to get these players to the regular season, not get them all hurt now. The whole concept of "hardening" players is absurd. If for no other reason I'd fire Andy because of the way he treats his players in camp.— fischman
- its been how many "hard" days? 2? Fischman leave the opinions to the beat writers— j-ritch
- They got receivers..I'd like to see more of McNutt, Damaris Johnson and Marty Gilyard— ewsavage
- I will say it again , Reid will have half his team out for the season before his 1st regular season game because he is a idiot !!!!!!!— zogger
- Hey "The Gold Standard" says you gotta HIT! If you want to win Championships! Oh wait....We haven't won any as of yet!— citysims
- How ironic is it that last season we came in the healthiest we had in years, but because we were the only team in the entire NFL not to have a training camp they used that as an excuse for why we did poorly. This year, when Reid will have his typical injury fest his apologist will blame the injuries for the poor season. I just know a devastating injury is around the corner, just know it
- One guy who loves all of the injuries to wide receivers is Chad Hall. His only shot at making the team is if other guys get hurt. For some reason though, Andy Reid likes Hall. He's Reid's current version of Reno Mahe. He can't do anything particularly well, but is versatile enough to fill in here and there when there is no other option.— SteveS11
- Johnson probably wouldn't have made the team....close...but he was at best the 6th or 7th WR.
Hall probably won't either.
Anyway, it has nothing to do with training camp being too hard. He landed awkwardly. Should all practices be a walk through?— juaniflaco - Yeah, these hitting exercises are really taking the players out. If only Johnson was in a different camp, he wouldn't have hit himself after falling and causing his ankle to dislocate. C'mon guys, freak play. Beside, we no longer have two-a-days with pads, training camp is shorter, less off-season work, etc.— joeags
