Pittsburgh Steelers: Is Ladarius Green’s Career in Jeopardy?

With Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Ladarius Green set to miss his fourth consecutive game, is it fair to wonder if his career in jeopardy?

About 10-15 years ago, concussions weren’t getting the proper attention as they are today. If a player suffered a concussion, he typically did not miss an extended period of time. In fact, there’s a strong possibility he did not even leave the game after suffering a concussion. After everything we know now about concussions today and their frightening long-term effects, though, that’s no longer the case.

If a player looks like he suffered a head injury, he is taken out of the game and put through an extensive concussion protocol to determine if he’s concussed or not. If there’s any indication he is, he will not be able to return to the game and has to pass through a series of tests before he’s allowed to return to the field.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Ladarius Green appears near-certain to miss his fourth consecutive game due to lingering effects from a concussion he suffered in Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals. On the surface, missing over four games due to a head injury is bad enough. With Green’s history, though, it’s even worse.

Green signed a four-year contract with the Steelers back in March, but surgery on his ankle back in January forced him to miss some time during the offseason. As it turns out, the ankle might not have been the only injury holding him off the field.

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In August, NFL.com’s Aditi Kinkhabwala reported Green was missing time due to headaches and not an ankle injury. She also mentioned Green was complaining “of headaches after suffering two concussions in two weeks last September (2015) with the Chargers.” Despite numerous reports, the Steelers denied Green was missing time due to concussion-related symptoms. Instead, they insisted it was due to his ankle.

Green went on to miss the Steelers entire preseason and did not step back onto a NFL field until Week 10 against the Dallas Cowboys. Is it possible Green missed 10+ months of football due to an ankle procedure that took place back in January 2016? I guess, but players who have suffered torn ACLs and patellar tendons have come back sooner than 10 months. There were never any indications the ankle injury was overly serious. Subsequently, I’m a little skeptical.

The reports back in August stating Green was missing time due to headaches caused by previous concussions are more likely than ever to be true considering how long it’s taking him to get over the concussion he suffered a month ago. If that’s the case, Green’s career is in serious jeopardy.

According to Spotrac, Green’s 2017 cap hit is over $6 million which is currently eighth-most on the team and his $5 million base salary is tied for third-most. Is it possible the Steelers outright release Green and move on after he missed two-thirds of the 2016 season? It’s certainly possible and, if they do release him after one season, it’s not because of talent. Everyone who watches football or is in the NFL is aware Green has loads of talent and ability.

Instead it’ll be due to his headaches and concussions. This will label Green as a player who has or is suffering from  “head injuries.” That type of red flag is something some teams around the NFL will not sign up for.

All of this speculation can be put to bed for awhile if the Steelers are able to beat the Kansas City Chiefs and Green is able to return for the AFC Championship Game. If he’s not able to or the Steelers lose on Sunday, then Green’s season is going to end the same way it started: on the sidelines due to a concussion. (The Steelers would argue he was on the sidelines back in September due to an ankle injury, but as I said before, I have my doubts).

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As athletic and gifted as Green is, if headaches and concussions have been bothering him for over a year now, it might be best for him to walk away. Any 26-year-old person should not risk the possible effects on his long-term health over the short-term gratification which is the NFL.