As Jadeveon Clowney gingerly made his way off the field — drawing the attention of many concerned Texans — the No. 1 overall pick looked like he wanted to fight somebody. Clowney was mad.
Unfortunately, he still has to take it.
The IT is another injury in what appears to be a freakish run of bad luck for a player who has already flashed the ability to be dominant on the NFL level.
And just like that, almost half of Clowney's much-anticipated rookie season is already wiped out.
Soon after he left the field with a few minutes left in the first half, Clowney was declared out of the game with a knee injury. It turns out he suffered a torn meniscus (as first reported by the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport) and will have surgery Monday. Recovery time? Four to six weeks.
And just like that, almost half of Clowney's much-anticipated rookie season is already wiped out.
Talk about a heartbreaking NFL debut. This is a potentially crippling blow to a Houston Texans defense that needs Clowney to go with J.J. Watt's relentless big play power, D.J. Swearinger's new sack ways and Brooks Reed's out-of-nowhere, in-the-backfield power.
"I’m not sure about the status, but I will say right now that they think it’s a good prognosis," the ever injury optimistic and vague Bill O'Brien said before the tear news broke. "It looks like he’s going to be OK. He may miss some time, he may not."
Knee trouble is nothing to mess with. For Clowney, it's also liable to start some silly talk about whether he is injury prone. Never mind that this is his first knee injury. The fact that it comes on the heels of a training camp practice concussion and offseason sports hernia surgery will start the drum beat nonetheless.
It doesn't matter that Clowney's already shown any other pick but him at No. 1 would have been foolish. This is life in the top pick spotlight.
Clowney appeared to try and play after first getting hurt, but it quickly became apparent he was hobbled. That led to the walk off.
Now Clowney and the Texans wait and hope.
"I’m concerned about him because he is a terrific player and we want him out on the field," Texans owner Bob McNair says.
Clowney showed plenty of burst and ability to get into the backfield before his injury. That fleeting look at his immense talent will be all the Texans get for a while though.
