11.10.19-The DW Sunday Column: My wish for a long career for Kyler Murray
It must have come up at least once a year when I was a child. We would be watching a football game on TV and my mother would mention the time she saw a Lions game where a player died. She said she remembers it was bad when his arm left the stretcher, and someone had to move it back on the stretcher. I am not sure if that memory is true, but I do know my mother saw something in 1971 that stuck with her.
That year Detroit Lions football player Chuck Hughes died of a heart attack on the field after running a pass route.
When you are little, you throw around the word pretty loosely. “Looked at that hit, he killed him.” …. “He is not getting up from that hit. Luckily, and knock on wood 1 million times, nothing like that has happened on the field. But, for some reason, every time I see a crazy hard hit my mother’s voice about the Hughes story goes through my head.
There was only one time I thought I was a witness to something brutal…ok, not the “k” word, but it sure did seem pretty bad. It happened to quarterback Max Hall. Attending the game in person, during warmups, I noticed how small he looked. Compared to others, it was like the pros asked someone from the high school to suit up and play.
Now, take that visual, and see this “high school” kid scramble and watch three three grown man taking down the kid. I mean they sandwiched him as he attempted to reach the goal line on a scramble. His helmet flew off. I watched him get escorted to the sidelines, then to the bench, very surprised he could even get up.
In an article, Hall recounts this game about the New Orleans Saints, stating that he was knocked out cold, but still played. He went on to play in three other games that year. No long after he never played in the NFL again; apparently a long career for a high school kid was not in the plan.
Hall points to the hit during the Saints game as one of the reasons he became addicted to pain pills. After watching that hit, one can hardly blame him. This addiction led to an embarrassing arrest for stealing to fuel his addiction.
I mention all this because the Cardinals now have Kyler Murray. It takes a mil…a second..ok, not even that long to realize the Cardinals were right on to get rid of Rosen and bring in Murray. I think he is a great pick, and the quarterback of the future.
I have not been to a game in person yet this year. But on TV, Murray looks real small. Certainly, more athletic than Hall, but still pretty small.
I know Murray can scramble, and so far has avoided the hits. But I keep wondering if there will be a time someone squares up and provides a Max Hall moment.
And that sound you hear is me knocking on wood….many, many times.
References — Credits — Links — Sources
Article about Hughes: https://www.vintagedetroit.com/blog/2011/10/24/40-years-ago-lions-receiver-chuck-hughes-died-on-tiger-stadium-gridiron/
Article about the Hall addiction: https://www.deseret.com/2016/7/23/20592679/former-byu-qb-max-hall-confronts-addiction-by-helping-others-coaching-football-staying-sober#former-cougar-max-hall-watches-the-scrimmage-in-provo-friday-april-1-2016
