The touchdowns. The large performs. The cheers from the gang. That’s what each NFL receiver desires of. At his greatest, former Pittsburgh Steelers WR Markus Wheaton made these performs. However his profession was sadly outlined extra by accidents than receptions. The glory of enjoying soccer is gone. The accidents? They continue to be.
Opening up in a candid interview on the Highway Much less Traveled podcast final month, Wheaton mentioned a tough NFL profession he’s nonetheless feeling the impacts of.
“Too many to depend,” Wheaton mentioned when requested by host Tiffany Rosenbaum what number of accidents he suffered. “Too many to depend. There was loads of surgical procedures on the again finish. There was concussions, proper? So my mind is somewhat tousled. I’m coping with that day-to-day.”
Wheaton didn’t specify the challenges he nonetheless faces at this time however the long-lasting impacts of concussions are actually well-known. Reminiscence loss, temper swings, and CTE that has resulted within the loss of life of many gamers, together with Corridor of Fame middle Mike Webster, have all been the outcomes of enjoying soccer.
It’s not clear what number of head accidents Wheaton suffered over his profession however he used the pluralized “concussion” within the interview. In 2012 whereas nonetheless at Oregon State, he was positioned into concussion protocol after a mid-air collision in opposition to Washington State.
“As soon as I shook out of it, I knew what was occurring however in the meanwhile I used to be dazed,” he mentioned on the time after the sport.
Regardless of the damage, Wheaton performed in Oregon State’s subsequent contest in opposition to Arizona State. Each concussion is completely different however gamers usually miss at the least per week of motion. Returning too quickly from a concussion and struggling extra hits to the pinnacle can compound the damage, as NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. as soon as relayed (and was healed by Pittsburgh-based physician Micky Collins).
Concussions had been essentially the most severe however removed from the one damage Markus Wheaton suffered. Per Draft Sharks, he had the next accidents:
– A number of finger fractures
– Shoulder sprain
– Torn labrum
– Torn groin
– Hamstring pressure
A 3rd-round choose of the Steelers in 2013, Wheaton mentioned the damage he suffered in 2017, launched by the Steelers and signed by the Chicago Bears, was most irritating.
“I am going to catch a ball, and my pinky finger, the bone comes out of my pinky,” he mentioned. “And I have a look at my hand and my pinky’s off to the facet. There’s blood, and I take my glove off. And I’m like fuck. And it freaking ate me up.”
Wheaton defined the damage solely furthered his “fragile” label and planted doubt within the Bears who had simply signed him.
“Known as my Dad,” he mentioned after getting phrase from docs he wanted surgical procedure. “I don’t cry a lot. I don’t assume I ever cry. Nevertheless it hit me arduous. I used to be so pissed off. It was consuming me up. “That was most likely the worst I used to be mentally when it got here to the accidents.
He appeared in 11 video games with the Bears that yr however caught simply three passes earlier than barely enjoying the next season. The Philadelphia Eagles took a flier on him in 2019 however lower him in September. Wheaton cited poor psychological well being – “I used to be tousled” – as the explanation he retired. He now invests in actual property and is the managing accomplice for an Arizona landscaping firm.
Throughout six NFL seasons and a doable 96 video games, Markus Wheaton appeared in solely 59 of them. When on the sector, he made performs and his 201-yard efficiency in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 stays probably the greatest by a Steelers’ receiver this century. However he’ll stay a “what-if” due to these accidents. The silver lining is Wheaton has a significantly better understanding of his head accidents than gamers earlier than him, permitting him to get any future assist he wants.
