Johnathan Franklin will not be back with Green Bay Packers

It was reported yesterday by ESPN NFL Nation’s Rob Demovsky that the Green Bay Packers fear second-year running back Johnathan Franklin’s neck injury last season could potentially end his career, and it looks like the Packers worst fears have come to fruition. After the Packers ordered a thorough examination of Franklin’s neck, Demovsky tweets that head coach Mike McCarthy stated Franklin, “will not be back with us.”

This is definitely devastating news, because it means that Franklin’s career is likely over or at least derailed significantly. Jermichael Finley has gotten back from a career-threatening neck injury he suffered last year (same with New York Giants young RB David Wilson), but it looks like Franklin won’t be as fortunate.

Hopefully Franklin can get back on the football field soon, but it looks like he’ll be on the shelf for a while or even his entire career. McCarthy stated that the Packers will address the situation further tomorrow, but it looks like we should prepare for the worst. It’s awful to think that Franklin’s career could be over after just one season and so few carries, and he has so much promise as a rusher given his career at UCLA and his 100-yard rushing day against the Cincinnati Bengal in his only game with significant carries.

UPDATE: Franklin has tweeted a statement of his desire to retire, and we all wish him the very best going forward. I can’t believe what happened, but please read his heart-felt statement which shows just how great of an outlook he has on life.