Surgeon: Bridgewater's Injury 'Freakish'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It has been just over 24 hours since the Minnesota Vikings announced quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was out for the season with a severe injury knee.
The Vikings made no comments on Bridgewater's condition Wednesday, but they told the Associated Press that Shaun Hill will be his replacement for Thursday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Video shows Bridgewater looked perfectly fine just minutes before he collapsed.
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Dr. Alan Markman, an orthopedic surgeon who is not involved in Bridgewater's case, says an added complication for the star athlete is that he not only has a torn ACL -- but he also has dislocated his knee.
"As it bends and begins to twist … it's going to put a lot of stress on several of the ligaments, and it literally twists itself crooked," Markman said.
One question many Vikings fans have is whether this was an injury that would have happened in the next few weeks or month -- or whether it was a freak accident?
"It is a freak occurrence, unfortunately," Markman said. "Our athletes aren't predisposed to that."
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Right after Bridgewater collapsed, his teammates became distraught. Dr. Markman says the injury would have been visible and gruesome.
"The knee will be in a funny position and the foot's pointed the wrong way," he said. "It's not a very pretty sight."
Dr. Markman says the surgery and rehab recovery is at least nine to 12 months. He says among the few bright spots are reports that Bridgewater did not sustain nerve or blood vessel damage, and he is still a young man.
"Twenty-three-year-old tissue in a person who's otherwise healthy and vigorous [is] good tissue to work with and should do well," Markman said.
The Vikings told WCCO Wednesday they did not know when they would have an update on Bridgewater's condition.
He is expected to undergo surgery in the next few days.
