Defensive end Darrell Taylor left the October 17 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on a cart after suffering an injury while tackling Najee Harris. He created concern among fans but later shared a massive update on social media. Taylor declared that he will be back.
The Seattle Seahawks defender posted a major update on Instagram on Tuesday, October 19. He posted a photo of himself on the practice field and thanked the fans for all of their support. Taylor then let everyone know that he will return to the field.
“Man I just wanted to post this to say I appreciate all the love & support of everyone reaching out making sure I was good,” Taylor wrote on Instagram. “It was much appreciated for sure and I will be back in action no doubt! I’m just thankful for the man above and my angels watching over me.”
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Taylor Avoided a Major Injury Against the Steelers
The medical staff transported Taylor to the Level I trauma center in Pittsburgh after he suffered the injury. However, he was able to return to Seattle on the team plane, creating optimism about his health status. He then underwent an MRI, which came back clear.
While the injury appeared to be serious, there is actually a scenario where Taylor suits up for the Week 7 game against the Saints. Head coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Monday, October 18, that Taylor’s scans were clear and that he could play with a “good week.”
“A really, really positive report,” Carroll said, per the Seahawks media team. “His MRI stuff was clear, his CT scan stuff was clear, so he does not have any neck injury. He got jammed pretty good. We’ve got to wait and see what it’s like, but it may be a little bit more in his shoulder as we as we figured out. He’s not out of the woods to play this week, so that’s a thrilling response to what it looked like and everybody could have anticipated, so we’ll see how that goes. He’s got to have a good week to do that.
“I haven’t talked to Darrell since the MRI stuff came back, I talked to him last night, whenever it was in the middle of the night, and he was very positive about it and all that. So we’ll see what happens, but a really, really good report. I know a lot of people were really upset about that, for good reason, whenever they take a guy off like that, the threat is so huge. Anyway, he came out great, so we’ll hope for the best and he may have a chance to go this week.”
Taylor Has Been an Important Part of Seattle’s Defense
The 24-year-old Taylor did not play at all during his rookie season. He suffered a leg injury and landed on the reserve/non-football injury list and missed the entire 2020 campaign. However, he returned to action for 2021 and has made a significant impact.
According to Pro Football Focus, Taylor has a pass-rush grade of 78.2. He has appeared in every game and has registered 12 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble, and three tackles for a loss. Taylor is the only player on the Seahawks with more than one sack, and he has the most quarterback hits (six).
If he is unable to suit up for the game against the Saints, the Seahawks will have to find other options to rush the quarterback. Jamal Adams is an option after he led the team with 9.5 sacks in 2020, but the Seahawks have had him line up on the line of scrimmage on fewer snaps.
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Darrell Taylor Sends Message to Seahawks Fans After Scary Injury