Kellen Winslow Had Staph Infection

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Whenever you hear “undisclosed illness” on an NFL injury report, you might as well go ahead and assume it’s a staph infection. OK, I’m only partially kidding, but such was the case with Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow last week. His recent “undisclosed illness” was kept quiet because the team has had an alarming number of staph infections over the past few years and they didn’t want the news getting out. This was Kellen’s second infection. His first case came in 2005 after surgery to repair a torn knee ligament in which he was hospitalized and lost almost 30 pounds. Then there was LeCharles Bentley, Joe Jurevicius, Braylon Edwards, Brian Russell and Ben Taylor. They’ve all been through staph infections while playing for the Cleveland Browns. So yeah, you could say there’s a problem with it in Cleveland. And it should concern the Browns players because staph is potentially deadly. Kellen was so distraught about the whole incident, he vented to the media after yesterday’s loss to the Washington Redskins:

“A big reason I’m upset right now has to do with the (staph infection). I heard from Romeo Crennel and I heard from my position coach (Alfredo Roberts) when I was in the Clinic. I heard from my teammates. But I never heard from the main man — Phil Savage — and that really disappoints me. Sometimes I don’t even feel a part of this team. I feel I’ve done a lot for this team, played through a lot of pain and given it my all. I just thought there’d be a little more ‘how are you doing?’ by him ….. There’s obviously a problem (with staph) and we have to fix it. Just look at the history around here. It’s unfortunate, because it happens time and time again ….. I’m just frustrated with a lot of things. I feel it’s been going on for a while. I don’t get treated right and it’s not fair. Sometimes I just feel under-appreciated. I felt it was time to say something ….. I give my heart and soul to this team. I just wish there had been a little more concern over this situation.”

Well, I agree with Kellen on the staph infections and yes, it would have been appropriate for Mr. Savage to visit Kellen in the hospital. Head coach Romeo Crennel said Kellen’s comments were a distraction to the organization and should have been kept within the team. I agree with that, but if the organization isn’t willing to protect one of their players with the truth (like why Kellen was really in the hospital), I don’t think Kellen had any other choice but to go to the media. I don’t blame him for being upset. As far as being treated unfairly and being under-appreciated — well, join the club, dude. It happens to all of us at one time or another.

I know the Browns are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of this problem. I’m not trying to beat up on the front office folks. But with their history and with two cases reported last month in San Francisco — and maybe more being kept under wraps — I wonder how concerned the league is?

Source: Cleveland.com, Photo: Newscom