Category: Blog
Tags: darryl stingley, dennis byrd, Devon Walker, eric legrand, mike utley, National Football League, NCAA, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tulane, Tulsa
There is a strong possibility that Devon Walker may never walk again. Let’s hope that he doesn’t join the ranks of football players whose careers have been cut short because of paralysis. It happened to Darryl Stingley, who was a wide receiver for the New England Patriots and was paralyzed in a 1978 preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. More than 13 years later, Mike Utley, an offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions, was paralyzed during a game against the Minnesota Vikings. A year later, the same would happen to Dennis Byrd, a defensive tackle for the New York Jets. Byrd was paralyzed during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. More recently, Kevin Everett, a tight end for the Buffalo Bills, was paralyzed in a 2007 game against the Denver Broncos.
Tulane senior defensive back Devon Walker is responsive following surgery on his fractured cervical vertebrae, but it’s too early to draw any conclusions about his progress.
English: The New England Patriots’ offense on the field against the New York Jets in a 2006-07 NFL Wild Card Playoff game. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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