News & Info/Headlines
Robert Griffin III will undergo total reconstructive surgery of his right knee early Wednesday morning to repair torn anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments but he is expected to be ready for the opener of the 2013 NFL regular season, team sources familiar with the determination made by orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews tell ESPN insider Chris Mortensen.
According to Mortensen, the torn ACL was diagnosed late Tuesday as a complete tear of the patella graft that was used to repair Griffin's torn ACL suffered at Baylor in 2009. A team source told Mortensen Dr. Andrews likely will use a patella graft from Griffin's left knee to repair the most recent tear.
Griffin's recovery is projected at six-to-eight months, barring any setbacks.
The rehabilitation plan primarily will focus on strengthening Griffin's quadriceps to help protect and help stabilize the knee, according to sources. The reconstruction of the LCL is considered a complication but sources told Mortensen that Dr. Andrews informed the Redskins it should rehab well during the same six-to-eight month time frame as the ACL injury.
Under this projected time frame of surgery, recovery and rehab -- if Griffin suffers no setbacks -- the rookie quarterback should be able to participate at some level during training camp in August and, Mortensen told viewers during an appearance on SportsCenter, "[Griffin] should be ready for the 2013 season opener according to the sources that I spoke with. ..."
We're all aware of what of what Vikings running back Adrian Peterson did with a similar timetable. The hope would obviously be that RG3 can come close to duplicating Peterson's remarkable rebound.
Stay tuned. Obviously more to come.
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UPDATE: 9. Jan. 2013 @ 14:30 CT
In the wake of today's surgery, Dr. James Andrews released the following statement: "Robert Griffin III had successful knee surgery early this morning. He had a direct repair of his LCL and a re-do of his previous ACL reconstruction. We expect a full recovery and it is everybody's hope and belief that due to Robert's high motivation, he will be ready for the 2013 season."
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, in (apparently erroneously) reporting RG3 need a total reconstruction, suggested a six-to-eight month recovery. The Washington Post, citing a doctor who hasn’t treated or evaluated Griffin, says that the rehab time on an LCL tear can cover eight to 12 months.
But as Profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio kindly suggests, the reality is that no one knows for sure how long it will, or won’t, take for Griffin to be ready to play again. In many instances, professional athletes heal differently, and far more quickly, than normal people. But there are all sorts of potential complications that can arise. Apart from the ever-present risk of infection (which slowed Tom Brady’s rehab in 2008), an effort by the athlete to push too hard can create setbacks.
Florio further suggested that Griffin surely will be tempted to duplicate the uncanny comeback demonstrated in 2012 by Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
"But, "Florio added, "for every Peterson, who came back better than ever after a 2011 ACL tear, there’s a Domonique Foxworth, who never was the same after ACL surgery in 2010, and who is now out of the game. ..."
Again. There will be more on this. Lots more. Probably more than we need. Certainly more than is actually helpful. We'll make an effort to separate the wheat from the chaff on this story in coming months, but steel yourself. It's coming.