As the sports world approaches the end of another year on the ice, field and court, fans have come to expect that injuries are a part of the game and can happen out of the blue.
Most athletes deal with bumps and bruises and can continue to play. But some can be sidelined weeks, even months, if an injury is serious enough.
Unfortunately for some, the pain and suffering can result from a freak incident, one that would make even the most fanatic follower grimace and avoid watching a replay of the troubling trauma.
And 2018 was no different. From broken legs, a dislocated thumb, and taking a puck to the head, let’s review the year of gruesome sports injuries.
Nearly two weeks into the new year, Canadiens forward
Phillip Danault got in the way of a monster Zdeno Chara point shot
during a game in Montreal, taking the puck to his head.
Danault fell to the ice as players from both teams rallied to his aid.
Unable to get up on his own, Danault needed a stretcher to take him off the ice. He was transported to hospital for further evaluation.
Here’s a lengthy video of Phillip Danault taking the Zdeno Chara shot to the head. Danault barely moves after blocking the shot, seriously terrible situation. pic.twitter.com/ySvnoKuUQv
— Hockey Daily (@HockeyDaily365) January 14, 2018
During baseball’s spring training in March, Texas Rangers minor league coach Howard Johnson
suffered several fractures to his cheekbone
after being hit by a line drive while in the dugout.
Fortunately for the former major leaguer, who was hit below the left eye, he didn’t require surgery.
In the NFL, three players broke their legs, including two quarterbacks with the Washington Redskins in less than a month.
In September, Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas
gave his team the middle finger
while being carted off the field with a broken leg after contentious contract negotiations that left him without a long-term deal.
Redskins quarterback Alex Smith
broke his ankle while being sacked
by Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt and strong safety Kareem Jackson in November. In early December, fellow pivot Colt McCoy
suffered a fractured fibula in his right leg
while trying to avoid a tackle against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Earlier this month, Toronto Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas
suffered a gruesome thumb injury
that left the digit dislocated during a game against the Golden State Warriors.
Jonas Valanciunas : 6 points on 3-4 shooting & 7 rebounds in 8 minutes off the bench (Had his right thumb dislocated by Draymond Green) pic.twitter.com/Ycn5pNC7YH
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life25) December 13, 2018
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