K-9 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 KD in CT got me thinking about this in the OJ/TT thread. What great careers were cut short by injury and how great would those players have been if not injured? I'll start with: Robert James. Had he not been injured I think he would have ended up in the HOF as one of the best CBs to ever lace 'em up. He was truly the first shut down corner I can remember watching in person. Routinely took away the other teams' number one receivers. Warfield, Maynard, Biletnikoff, Taylor, just to name a few. You just lined him up across from the other team's number one and didn't worry about that guy hurting you. GO BILLS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Chinfist Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Off the top of my head how about Terrell Davis? Davis had 6413 yards in his first 4 years, over 2000 yards in his final full season, then injuries cut his career short. Who knows how many yards he wold have racked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Off the top of my head how about Terrell Davis? Davis had 6413 yards in his first 4 years, over 2000 yards in his final full season, then injuries cut his career short. Who knows how many yards he wold have racked up. I view Davis as an Emmit Smith type player. Very good RB, great OL and perfect situation. Smith had all the talent around him while Davis had an offensive scheme and OL that produced holes that I could have run for 1000 yards behind. When Davis went out, his replacements ran for 1500. I'm not saying Davis wasn't good, he was very good, but as a running back, I wouldn't view him as one of the greatest, just like smith, the all time leader in yards. Smith is a great back, but IMO, isn't one of the greatest (in which I usually associate with top 5 talents). Davis may have been a top 25 all-time guy, but I think there were better RBs that weren't lucky enough to be in the perfect situation. Davis and smith were in the perfect situation, and they capitalized on in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Gayle Sayers. Yeah, he's in the HoF. But what could have been if he'd've stayed healthy or had the medicine of today back in his day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zamboni Man Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) Bo Jackson comes to mind, who knows how great his career would've been if he never injured his hip vs. the Bengals. Edited June 2, 2011 by Zamboni Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uticaclub Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 kory stringer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd19 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 J.P Losman. Who knows how good he could have been with a brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintmyhouse Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Trent Edwards. If he didn't take the brutal concussion hit maybe the Bills would have made the playoffs that season. Brian Piccolo, he actually died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 This name came up last week and several posters agreed that he would have been an all-time great had he not been so injured… Jerry Butler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Fontes Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 moe elewonibi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyT Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Bo Jackson comes to mind, who knows how great his career would've been if he never injured his hip vs. the Bengals. This was my first thought as well. He was soooo fun to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottytubes54 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Thinking just about the Bills, the one that pops into my mind is Sam Cowart. He was become a very dominant MLB, not quite in the same breath as Ray Lewis, but when he blew his achilles, there weren't many better MLB's in the league. He was young and had his best years ahead of him. I also think of another ILB who probably had his best years behind him, but still had tread on the tires when he got hurt and that was Chris Speilman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JinWPB Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Least we forget Kevin Everett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Vader Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 A pair of high draft picks by the Colts: DL Steve Emtman & LB Trev Alberts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 (edited) Derrick Burroughs was coming into his own when his career was cut short by that thin neck ailment( was paralyzed for about 8 minutes against the Oilers if memory serves) Edited June 3, 2011 by Steve O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Derrick Burroughs was coming into his own when his career was cut short by that thin neck ailment( was paralyzed for about 8 minutes against the Oilers if memory serves) I was writing basically the same post when yours popped up. Imagine what might have been if he were still around for the Superbowl run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmur66 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Damien Covington. That guy was bad ass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanSleepWhenI'mDead Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Based solely on his college career and draft position (no way to know if he was really gonna be an NFL star): "RB Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State, 1995 Bengals moved up to take him first overall and gave him a then-record $7.1 million signing bonus. Owner Mike Brown called him the team's ``bell cow.'' Tore ACL in his left knee on his third preseason carry in Detroit, ending the season and starting a career cut short by injuries at every turn." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IA Bills Fan Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Marcus DuPree would have been an absoulte beast if it wasnt for his knee injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Marcus DuPree would have been an absoulte beast if it wasnt for his knee injury. Good one; although his other issues really hampered him from reaching potential. The moment he decided to play for that a--hole Switzer he was doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I was writing basically the same post when yours popped up. Imagine what might have been if he were still around for the Superbowl run. Not to mention we likely wouldn't have wasted a first round pick on JD Williams (after missing out on first round picks for the previous two years because of the Bennet deal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Not to mention we likely wouldn't have wasted a first round pick on JD Williams (after missing out on first round picks for the previous two years because of the Bennet deal) Yep. Having Odomes covering the other team's #2 would have been sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albany,n.y. Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Greg Cook was destined for greatness as the Cincinnati Bengals QB before his career was derailed by injury. http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/09/25/forgotten-greg-cook-and-the-69-bengals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowgirlsFan Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 (edited) A pair of high draft picks by the Colts: DL Steve Emtman & LB Trev Alberts. Mike Sherrard Dallas Cowboys....San Francisco 49ers. Edited June 3, 2011 by CowgirlsFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsintaiwan Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 there were a bunch of early eighties rbs that got hurt early. can remember billy sims, william andrews, and wilbert montgomery off the top of my head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orton's Arm Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Bryce Paup is one of the first guys who comes to my mind. As an OLB in Green Bay's 4-3 scheme, he put up solid numbers. But when he came to Buffalo and was plugged in as an OLB in its 3-4 scheme, it was a perfect fit! He had an insane 17.5 sacks that first year with the Bills. A multi-dimensional player, the guy was good against the run, good in pass coverage, created turnovers here and there, you name it! He was voted defensive MVP that year. Not just for the Bills, but for the entire NFL. To put those 17.5 sacks into perspective, look at Lawrence Taylor's stats. Only once in his 13 year career did he meet or exceed 17.5 sacks. Had Bryce Paup continued to play at the level he had in 1995, his name would be mentioned along with Lawrence Taylor's as being among the best OLBs ever to have played the game. Instead, Paup got injured in 1996 (his second year with the Bills) and was never the same player again. Post-injury, he became more one-dimensional, more limited: a shadow of his former self. Even that shadow was still respectable, but think of what might have been! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Bo Jackson comes to mind, who knows how great his career would've been if he never injured his hip vs. the Bengals. Was my first thought, Jackson was the best runner ever and had he focused on football and not been injured he would have been the GOAT. Steve Ettman was a dominant DT in college and flashed big time in the pros but knee and neck problems cut what should have been a HOF carrer. Tony manderich carreer was drasctically cut short when his muscles where injured by a lack of steroids . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Greg Cook. He could make every throw, sling it a mile and had the sickest fake handoff I've ever seen. EVER. Got his shoulder crushed after his rookie year and he ended up not being able to throw ten yards. Sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Romes Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I was writing basically the same post when yours popped up. Imagine what might have been if he were still around for the Superbowl run. And imagine whal polian would have done with the extra first round draft pick not spent on JD Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ektin Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Jerry Rice would have been great if he hadn't broken a fingernail and had been able to play his 21st season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Marcus DuPree would have been an absoulte beast if it wasnt for his knee injury. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miTnKS5ohRI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VirginiaMike Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I would say Troy Aikman -- He had a great HOF career, but his 10 concussions ended his career prematurely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfreak Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 KD in CT got me thinking about this in the OJ/TT thread. What great careers were cut short by injury and how great would those players have been if not injured? I'll start with: Robert James. Had he not been injured I think he would have ended up in the HOF as one of the best CBs to ever lace 'em up. He was truly the first shut down corner I can remember watching in person. Routinely took away the other teams' number one receivers. Warfield, Maynard, Biletnikoff, Taylor, just to name a few. You just lined him up across from the other team's number one and didn't worry about that guy hurting you. GO BILLS!!! The first one that comes to my mind is Gale Sayers. He had a short great career, but if he stayed healthy or maybe even if they had the medical technologies back then that they do now, it might have been his record that Emmitt Smith broke. A few others that come to mind are Sterling Sharpe, Bo Jackson, Terrell Davis, Tony Boselli and even Joe Namath, although he is also in the HOF like Sayers is. As far are Bills, I would say Jerry Butler and Chris Spielman. I would say Troy Aikman -- He had a great HOF career, but his 10 concussions ended his career prematurely Same can be said for Steve Young. Trent Edwards-That concussion against Arizona derailed a potentially Hall of Fame career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowery4 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Golden Wheels! 9 seasons but with today's medicine could have been more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Gayle Sayers. Yeah, he's in the HoF. But what could have been if he'd've stayed healthy or had the medicine of today back in his day. I mentioned that in the shout box a couple of weeks ago...Yeah, I think he would have walked away in the top 3 at the time of his retirement. Some Bills to mention: Jeff Nixon (knee F'd up) Derrick Burroughs (not really an injury - narrowing of the spine, but still) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowery4 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I almost mentioned Burroughs but I couldn't remember if he was injured. Robert James was the best CB we lost via injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brand J Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Trent Edwards-That concussion against Arizona derailed a potentially Hall of Fame career. Please tell me you were being sarcastic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanThru-N-Thru Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 The one that comes to my mind is Derrick Thomas of the Chiefs. Short I guess is relatively speaking but he was still in his prime and could dominate a game before he died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Gayle Sayers. Yeah, he's in the HoF. But what could have been if he'd've stayed healthy or had the medicine of today back in his day. Yeah, to me Sayers stands head and shoulders above anyone else in this category. Bills...Jerry Butler, damn, he was good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDD Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 J.P Losman. Who knows how good he could have been with a brain. That, and the ability to complete a pass other than a downfield heave that Lee Evans could catch up to and grab. Perhaps Steve Entman and KiJana Carter. Two guys that were ruined by knee injuries early in their career. We'll never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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