When you watch your favorite NFL players on the field, it's easy to forget that there's a whole team working behind the scenes, especially when dealing with injuries. Unfortunately, not all experiences with team medical staff are good. For Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy, his recent encounter was far from great.
Kyle Van Noy gives Chiefs’ Medical Team 'F' over eye injury care
The drama unfolded during a Thursday night showdown when Van Noy suffered a painful eye injury. According to the linebacker, the response from the Kansas City Chiefs’ medical team was disappointingly slow and left a lot to be desired. During a particularly heated episode of his podcast with Gerald McCoy, Van Noy did not hold back his frustration over the handling of his fractured orbital bone, calling the delay in medical attention “unprofessional” and “unacceptable.”
Imagine getting stuck at the bottom of a pile, with your helmet all messed up and feeling the sharp pain of an injury, and then having to wait forever for medical help. This happened to Van Noy, who got injured during a tense moment on the field involving Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. And it didn't stop there -- he felt like he was put on the back burner, waiting for help.
Van Noy was really bummed out because he thought the Chiefs' medical staff didn't take his eye injury seriously. He was like, "It took them a whole quarter to get me the care I needed." As a tough player, he was pretty upset that he had to wait and stress out about what could have happened if he didn't get help right away.
Van Noy wasn't happy with just the podcast. Like many other players, he brought up the NFLPA's recent report card, which gave the Chiefs' medical staff a failing grade. His own experience confirmed this, leading him to publicly question the professionalism of the medical team responsible for the players' care during the game.
Van Noy recognized that he got good care at the University of Kansas Medical Center once he was out of the stadium. But the initial response, or lack thereof, made a lasting impression. This could lead to more talks about how visiting team players are treated and the quality of care provided in the NFL.
Ravens OLB Kyle Van Noy suffered a fractured orbital bone in last night’s loss vs. the Chiefs, per @wyche89. pic.twitter.com/pTdRacuL92
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) September 6, 2024
For Van Noy and the Ravens, the season has to keep going, but this incident has definitely stirred up more drama in the already heated rivalry between Baltimore and Kansas City. As Van Noy focuses on getting back to full health, his criticisms are a big reminder of how important quick and professional medical care is in football.