Dr. Mehmet Oz has weighed in on one of the NFL’s most surprising injuries. Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor missed Week 2’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs after a team doctor accidentally punctured his lung while administering a painkiller. This injury stunned many fans, but Dr. Oz said that it is actually fairly common.
“Every doctor who has ever numbed someone’s ribs knows it’s a potential complication,” Dr. Oz told TMZ Sports. “I don’t think Taylor is gonna be getting many more injections in there, I suspect, and I’m hoping the hole is a very small one because the needles we need and use to numb up the nerves are very small. So hopefully it recovers on its own and by game 3 or 4 rather, it will be forgotten.”
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While several football fans had concerns about the team doctor moving forward, Dr. Oz expressed a different sentiment. He called the mistake a “learning experience.” He also said that the doctor just needs to own up to it and move forward.
According to NFL Media, the NFLPA has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the punctured lung. The NFLPA’s medical and legal team have contacted Taylor and his agent to collect facts about the pregame injection that sent the QB to a local hospital. The injection caused chest pain and difficulty breathing.
With Taylor on the sideline, rookie Justin Herbert made the first start of his career with only minutes of advance notice. He led the Chargers into battle against the defending Super Bowl LIV champions and found success. The former Oregon Duck completed 66.7% of his throws for 311 yards with one touchdown and one interception during the overtime loss.
Analysts praised Herbert’s performance during the AFC West battle, but he is not the starter moving forward. Head coach Anthony Lynn said that Taylor would remain under center when healthy. However, he will remain week-to-week while recovering from the surprising punctured lung.
“There’s a lot we didn’t get done with Justin on the field,” Lynn said on Monday. “He’s a backup for a reason. It’s not like we won the d— game … we lost. Last time I checked.” Lynn cited Herbert’s interception as a reason for the decision to stick with Taylor.
Lynn fully expects Taylor to retake the starting job once he is able, but that may not happen in the near future. Doctors have advised the veteran to avoid playing until he is 100%. This advice could keep Taylor out of the lineup for multiple weeks.
