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Contact sports, like American football, rank high among the riskiest games. In the battle of the largest, swiftest and strongest, hits, breaks, and tears become the order of the day. Uncover details of the worst NFL injuries in history and their impact on individual players and the sport as a whole.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This list of the worst NFL injuries of all time was compiled by tracking historical accounts of grisly football encounters through the NFL's official physically unable to perform list, Sports Injury Central and sports news publications such as ESPN and AP. The list takes into account historical reports of injuries as well as those of active football players.
Top 10 worst NFL injuries
Common injuries on the football field include concussions, dislocations, ligament sprains and tears. According to NCBI, spinal and axial skeleton injuries occur often in the NFL. Below is a deep dive into the most gruesome injuries in the NFL.
| Player | Position | Team at the time of injury | Injury type |
| Darryl Stingley | Wide receiver | New England Patriots | Broken neck |
| Damar Hamlin | Football safety | Buffalo Bills | Cardiac arrest |
| Ryan Shazier | Linebacker | Pittsburgh Steelers | Spinal contusion |
| Johnny Knox | Wide receiver | Chicago Bears | Fractured vertebrae |
| Tua Tagovailoa | Quarterback | Miami Dolphins | Repeated concussion |
| Bo Jackson | Running back | Los Angeles Raiders | Severe hip injury |
| Joe Theismann | Quarterback | Washington Redskins | Comminuted compound fracture |
| Elijah Henderson | Linebacker | Minnesota Vikings | Broken leg |
| Orlando Brown | Offensive tackle | Cleveland Browns | Eye injury |
| Rashad Johnson | Defensive back | Arizona Cardinals | Broken fingertip |
1. Darryl Stingley — Broken neck
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 12 August 1987
- Outcome: Career-ending injury and long-term impairment
On 12 August 1987, the New England Patriots met the Raiders for a pre-season exhibition match in Oakland, California. In the second period of the game, the then 26-year-old wide receiver, Darryl Stingley, was hit by the opposing team's safety, Jack Tatum.
Darryl Stingley's injury resulted in a broken neck and life-long paralysis. Despite suffering a career-ending injury, he remained with the Patriots in administrative positions until he died in 2007.
Although more safety rules have been enforced in the game, similar injuries have been recorded. On 29 November 1992, New York Jets' Dennis Byrd shattered his fifth cervical vertebra in the neck after a collision with teammate Scott Mersereau. Others include Sterling Sharpe and Steve Emtman.
2. Damar Hamlin — Cardiac arrest
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 2 January 2023
- Outcome: Full recovery
On 2 January 2023, the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals played against each other in a Week 17 game. However, a routine tackle went awry when Tee Higgin's shoulder hit Damar Hamlin in the chest. Although Hamlin momentarily regained his balance and got to his feet, he went into cardiac arrest, prompting a medical response.
By 23 May 2023, the Bills' safety had fully recovered and eased into active play. Since then, he has spearheaded efforts to increase access to defibrillators and promote CPR training in his community.
Although Damar Hamlin's injury outcome was positive, Chuck Hughes's story is a sobering reminder of the fatal potential of injuries in the sports league. The 28-year-old wide receiver for the Detroit Lions passed away after collapsing during a game against the Chicago Bears on 24 October 1971.
3. Ryan Shazier — Spinal contusion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 4 December 2017
- Outcome: Career-ending
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier was poised to become one of football's greatest. However, a crushed spinal cord put a sudden halt to his promising career.
The injury occurred during a match against the Cincinnati Bengals on 4 December 2017. Shazier's momentum during a tackle forcefully lunged him into Cincinnati wide receiver Josh Malone's hip head-first.
Shazier has fully recovered and is now a champion for player safety and spinal cord injury patients. Other football players who have suffered SCI injuries include Reggie Brown, Kevin Everett and Eric LeGrand.
4. Johnny Knox — Fractured vertebrae
Source: UGC
- Date of injury: 18 December 2011
- Outcome: Career-ending injury and long-term impairment
On 18 December 2011, a fumbled recovery resulted in Knox's sudden career end. After receiving a pass from a teammate, the Seattle Seahawks defence moved into action.
Their strong safety, Kam Chancellor, caused a fumble and prompted Knox to turn in the hopes of recovering the ball. At the same time, Seahawks' defensive end Anthony Hargrove dove for the ball, hitting Knox with such force that it contorted his upper body in a gruesome manner.
Although he underwent months of treatment, Knox never healed enough to return to the field. Other NFL players who have suffered varying degrees of broken vertebrae, like Johnny Knox's injury, include Tony Romo, Derek Carr, Matt Slauson, Carson Wentz, and Matthew Stafford.
5. Tua Tagovailoa — Repeated concussion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 29 September 2022
- Outcome: Full recovery
At the time of writing, Miami Dolphins' star starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is the centre of the NFL's attention after suffering another concussion in Week 2. Tua, who hopes to return to play, has had three diagnosed concussions since 2022.
His most scary injury episode was seen in September 2022. On 22 September 2022, he hit his head and stumbled, getting up. After an evaluation by the medical staff, the presumed head injury was deemed a back injury. Five days later, the Dolphin's starter slammed his head onto the turf and was seen displaying a fencing response, a tonic posture indicating a head injury.
6. Bo Jackson — Severe hip injury
Source: Twitter
- Date of injury: 13 January 1991
- Outcome: Career-ending injury
On 13 January 1991, two-sport athlete Bo Jackson suffered one of the rarest NFL injuries. According to Alabama Football, the running back was tackled at the end of a 34-yard run. He landed directly on the right knee, and other players landed on his back, driving his femur out of the hip socket.
The injury first thought to be a simple pulled thigh muscle, turned out to be a severe hip dislocation injury with avascular necrosis. Miami Dolphins star starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also suffered a hip dislocation while playing for Alabama State.
7. Joe Theismann — Comminuted compound fracture
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 18 November 1985
- Outcome: Career-ending injury and long-term impairment
On 18 November 1985, Joe Theismann suffered a gruesome fracture of the right leg between the tibia and fibula. During a match against the New York Giants, Theismann was hit by Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor from behind.
The blow caused the NFL quarterback's leg to snap between the knee and ankle. It left him with a mangled leg and bone damage that caused his right leg to remain shorter than the left.
8. Elijah Henderson — Broken leg
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 6 December 2009
- Outcome: Full recovery
On 6 December 2009, Henderson suffered a brutal injury that left his left leg bent in at an awkward angle. The linebacker's fractured femur that sidelined him for the rest of the season was acquired during a tackle.
Other players who have had similar incidents include Alex Smith, Eric Wood, Leon Washington, and Napolean McCallum. Another ghastly injury caught on live television affected Cincinnati Bengals player Tim Krumrie, who broke his left leg in three places, the tibia, fibula, and ankle, during a Super Bowl match.
9. Orlando Brown — Eye injury
Source: Getty Images
- Date: 19 December 1999
- Outcome: Career-ending injury with temporary impairment
On 19 December 1999, a bizarre accident nearly cost Cleveland Browns linesman his eyesight. In an attempt to call a false start, the referee threw a penalty marker (flag) that flew right through Brown's face guard, striking his right eye.
While describing the incident that halted his career, Brown said;
One minute, everything was fine, and the next minute, boom! Darkness! Pain!10. Rashad Johnson — Broken fingertip
Source: Getty Images
- Date of injury: 22 September 2013
- Outcome: Permanent physical impairment
Rashad Johnson's injury during the 2009 NFL season stands out due to its unusual and gruesome nature. While playing against the New Orleans Saints, the Cardinals' safety severed the tip of his right middle finger. Still, he continued to play without realising the severity of the injury until he removed his glove to find the top part of his middle finger missing..
What is the most common injury in the NFL?
Concussions are the most common injuries in high-impact contact sports such as American football. As such, the NFL has enforced strict guidelines on protective gear, game behaviour as well as treatment and recovery protocols.
What was the worst NFL injury?
Joe Theismann's injury is considered one of the worst NFL injuries. However, Darryl Stingley's broken neck and spinal cord injury, as well as Chuck Hughes' injury outcome, raise chills across the American football world.
The most feared injuries in the sport involve ligaments and tendons. They cause intense pain and require prolonged treatment and rehabilitation.
The worst NFL injuries have caused chronic pain, temporary disability, or even permanent disability in players. These include concussions, broken spinal cords, limbs and mutilated parts of the body such as eyes and fingers. This has prompted the NFL to increase player safety rules, which has reduced the incidence of accidents on the football field.
Legit.ng has published an article on the top 10 longest-tenured NFL coaches. Football teams have been known to part ways with head coaches at the slightest point of dissatisfaction, a fate shared by most top trainers.
Head coaches oversee team staff and operations while guiding and mentoring players and coaching staff. Read on for details of each coach, their teams, career trajectories, and personal profiles.
Source: Legit.ng
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