Getty Here's the latest on Bears QB Andy Dalton's knee injury.
The Red Rifle is down, but how long will he be out?
According to the latest video shared by sports medical analyst and orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Chao, Chicago Bears quarterback Andy Dalton will likely be out long enough for Justin Fields to take over the position.
Dalton left the team’s Week 2 game against his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, in the second quarter after running out of bounds. The veteran quarterback has been diagnosed with a bone bruise, and as it was a non-contact injury, it’s still significant, but according to Chao, it could have been a lot worse.
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How Did Dalton’s Injury Happen?
In a video he shared on his YouTube channel, Dr. Chao explained how Dalton got a bone bruise on a non-contact injury:
“The kind of bone bruise that Andy Dalton got is not where he gets tackled or hit. It’s not like someone punches you in the arm and you have a bruise. It’s when the two ends of the bone –the end of the femur with cartilage against the end of the tibia with cartilage — smash against each other. So instead of tearing the ACL by shifting the knee, the knee got jammed together, and thus, the bone bruise.”
Chao also noted that all things considered, it could have been far worse for Dalton.
“This is a non-contact bone bruise, and it’s common,” Chao said. “It’s really good news for Andy Dalton. This means his ACL is spared, but it doesn’t mean he’s playing this week. This is why I’ve been saying it’s Justin Fields time.”
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When is the Timetable for Dalton’s Return?
Chao says that based on his experience and expertise, Dalton should be out until at least mid-late October.
“Everything about the bone bruise being non-contact is consistent,” he said. “It’s the ends of the bones jammed together, the articular cartilage. The articular cartilage is precious. When it’s jammed together like that, there’s usually several weeks of rest. This is why it’s Justin Fields — or, unless Nagy wants to play (Nick) Foles or someone else — it won’t be Andy Dalton for the next several weeks. October, late October is probably his best timeline for return, and by then, Fields will probably have sealed the job.”
Dr. Chao also offered up this analogy in an attempt to help fans better understand what Dalton’s injury is like:
“Articular cartilage is like grass on a football field. Precious. The dirt underneath is like the bone. I’d an elephant stomps on the grass and you keep playing football on the grass, the grass may die. If an elephant stomps on the grass and you don’t play football on it for a few weeks, the grass has a chance to recover and live.”
Dalton is currently listed as week-to-week, but based on the information Chao shared, it’s looking like the 33-year-old QB will be out at least a month — maybe even longer.
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