The San Diego Chargers season has gotten off to a rough start, and that is especially been true on the defensive side of the ball.
Now it appears that life is going to get a bit more difficult for the Bolts defense, as ESPN is reporting that inside linebacker Manti Te’o has a torn Achilles tendon and will miss the remainder of the 2016 NFL season.
Te’o went down in the 1st quarter of the game on Sunday, trying to cover Indianapolis Colts running back Frank Gore out in the flat. However, Te’o simply went down without any contact, one of the worst things to see happen to an athlete on the field.
Most would be shaken by an injury like this, but Te’o turned to his faith in gaining some inspiration from the bad health situation that was in front of him:
“Everything happens for a reason. I live by a quote that says, ‘God puts mountains in front of you to show other people that it can be moved.’ My faith is strong and I know that I will be all right.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t be out there with my brothers and playing, and that is the thing that hurts the most. It was a big year for me, and I worked extremely hard. And there is nothing that you can do now. Just look forward and move forward and keep going.”
It’s a huge blow to the heart of the Chargers defense, as Te’o is the co-captain and defensive signal caller on the field as well. This is also the third player in a San Diego Chargers uniform to go down with a torn Achilles tendon already this year, joining running back Brandon Oliver and tight end Jeff Cumberland.
Oh, and did we forget to mention the trio of players out with season-ending knee injuries too? The Chargers are also missing running back Danny Woodhead, receiver Keenan Allen, and receiver Stevie Johnson because of knee issues.
For Te’o, the injury is a big blow, as he is in the final year of his rookie contract and has not signed an extension or a new deal as of yet. Clearly, NFL teams will be in wait-and-see mode with this type of a major injury before taking a long-term chance on him.
Teams are also likely to consider the fact that in his three seasons in the league, the former Notre Dame star has yet to complete a season healthy enough to play all 16 games for the Chargers.
It will be interesting to see what happens with his future, but it is clear he will be motivated to make a full recovery from the devastating injury.
[ESPN]
