Although it might have its spiritual home in North America, the NFL is also a league with a strong following in Costa Rica and the rest of Latin America. After all, this premier football competition is well-known for its exciting matches, tough tackling, and big-name franchises, such as the Dallas Cowboys. This is also a sport with lots to stay updated on and plenty of fresh news for football fans to devour.
Keeping tabs on the latest injury news is a prime example and something worthwhile. Unfortunately, injuries are too common in a contact sport like football, and every side will suffer from them during a season. Checking out the latest NFL injury report is even more crucial if you like to bet on games. This is because players who are missing through injury can impact any eventual result and affect how you might bet.
The central role injuries play in football is shown by how infamous some of the worst mishaps in the league’s history remain. But which have been the 5 worst career-ending NFL injuries ever?
Bo Jackson
Arguably the most infamous career-ending injury in the NFL happened to then-LA Raiders player Bo Jackson. This injury occurred in January 1991 in a match against the Cincinnati Bengals. After an impressive 34-yard run, Jackson was the subject of what looked like a pretty standard tackle. This tackle, however, dislocated his hip and fractured his hip bone.
In addition, the injury also cut off the blood supply to the affected area and led to the bone tissue in his hip dying. The result was that Jackson never played pro football again and had to forget about his promising NFL career.
Reggie Brown
The injury which called time on Reggie Brown’s career in 1997 was so severe that it could have cost him his life or left him unable to walk again. In a game where he turned out for the Lions against the Jets, Brown put in a tackle assist that went very wrong. It led to a spinal cord contusion that sent him toppling motionless to the floor.
On-field CPR was needed quickly to save his life, and emergency surgery followed to keep him out of a wheelchair for life. Luckily, his recovery has been strong, but this is scant consolation when you think how much was expected from Reggie Brown in the NFL.
Kevin Everett
Another injury that ended a promising career but also had life-changing implications was the one suffered by Kevin Everett in 2007. This happened when tight-end Everett had chased down a kick and attempted to tackle Bronco’s return man Domenik Hixon.
Everett suffered a dislocation and a spine fracture in trying to bring Hixon down. This left him able to only move his eyelids immediately after the incident as he lay on the ground! Surgery to ease pressure on his spinal column was needed, and Everett showed immense courage to walk again by December 2007.
Joe Theismann
Next to Bo Jackson’s career-ending injury, Jo Theismann’s shocking injury in 1985 is perhaps the next most well-known in footballing circles. This is down to the game in which it happened being shown on national TV as part of the Monday Night Football broadcast.
Theismann was playing for Washington then and was hoping to work his magic against the Giants. Things did not quite go according to plan, though, due to a considerable tackle put on him by Lawrence Taylor. This hit broke both bones in Theismann’s leg and meant he never played in the NFL again.
Wendell Davis
Considering the most brutal injuries ever seen in the league, Wendell Davis also suffered perhaps the most unfortunate one. Davis was a consistently good wide receiver for the Chicago Bears over his six-year pro career.
In a 1993 game against the Eagles, though, he planted his feet to receive an under-hit pass and ruptured the patella tendons in both knees. The injury was not caused by another player but by Davis catching his studs in the astroturf at Veterans Stadium.
Worst career-ending injuries in NFL history
Sports are always big around Costa Rica and other countries in central and Latin America – you only have to look at the reaction to Costa Rica’s qualification for the World Cup 2022 in soccer for proof. The NFL attracts a loyal following, too, and this can sometimes be for its more gruesome moments. As the above shows, the NFL has seen some nasty injuries over time, spelling the end of some people’s playing careers.