My heart really goes out to Tampa Bay Bucs running back Cadillac Williams. After suffering a torn PCL in his left knee last year, his career was in jeopardy. Cadillac fought his way back and somehow returned to the Bucs’ roster last month. It was one of this season’s most inspirational stories. This afternoon in a 31-24 loss to the Oakland Raiders, he was having his best day since the injury (12 carries and five receptions for 115 yards) until he hurt his right knee — with perhaps the same devastating results. Cadillac appears to have torn the patellar tendon in his left knee, one year after sustaining the same injury to his right knee. I feel sick for him if that truly is the case. Bucs head coach Jon Gruden seemed to think it was:

“Cadillac Williams — I think that scene didn’t help us at all. That was a very emotional downer on our sideline. It’s the other knee, not the same knee. That’s the real tragedy today.”

I’m not sure how much one person can take. Everyone is different and the amount of determination a person has and their physical limitations are, of course, different for each person. I do know that the rehabilitation process Cadillac went through was incredibly grueling and to have to think about going through that very same thing again is a crushing thought at this point. Hopefully it’s not as bad as it appears right now, but if anyone can make it back, Cadillac can. Former Cleveland Browns safety Gary Baxter was as determined as any human being could be in attempting to recover from torn PCLs in both if his knees, but he wasn’t able to complete the comeback. When it’s your career on the line — when your knees are your livelihood — it just makes it that much more devastating.

Source: TampaBay.com

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Cadillac Williams Injured Again

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Tampa Bay Bucs running back Earnest Graham, who leads the team in rushing yards and touchdowns, might be finished for the 2008 season with an ankle injury. Earnest was hurt on his only carry in yesterday’s 19-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings, limping off after landing awkwardly when he was tackled after a 3-yard gain. Bucs head coach Jon Gruden was not optimistic during his presser today:

“I believe Earnest Graham’s ankle looks to be a serious injury and his status for the rest of the season is very much in question right now. It doesn’t look like he’ll play anytime soon. I’m just very disappointed for our guy Earnest. He means a lot to us. He’s done so much for us here in the last couple years. He’s a key reason why we are where we are. We’ll have to make some adjustments, obviously.”

Among those adjustments would be getting running back Cadillac Williams into the lineup alongside Warrick Dunn. Cadillac was just activated last week after spending over a year rehabbing a potentially career threatening knee injury. If there were any silver lining to Earnest’s injury, at least as far as the team is concerned, it’s that Cadillac is back. How far back and how effective he will be remains to be seen, though.

Source: Buccaneers.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Earnest Graham Ankle Injury Serious

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After spending more than a year in rehab following a gruesome knee injury early last season, Tampa Bay Bucs running back Cadillac Williams is back on the team’s active roster. The Bucs made the expected move today, activating Cadillac from the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List to their 53-man roster. To make room, the Bucs released veteran running back Michael Bennett, who was quickly claimed by the San Diego Chargers (see note below). Cadillac was thrilled to be back at practice:

“I’ve put in a lot of work. I’m just excited. In these next few weeks we’ll see what happens.”

There’s really no way to predict how well Cadillac will perform. I’m sure he’ll have some trepidation and it will take some time, and a few hits, to get the confidence in his knee back. But he certainly won’t have to carry the workload. He’ll simply compliment fellow running backs Earnest Graham and Warrick Dunn. It’s a matter of depth at the position and Cadillac should be able to ease his way back into the lineup as a sidekick. Too bad his return (if he plays this weekend, that is) is against the National Football League’s third-best run defense (70.1 ypg) in the Minnesota Vikings. Nevertheless, it’s a great story that I hope has a happy ending.

Note: Concerning Michael Bennett, apparently the Chargers claimed him off waivers just to keep him from signing with the running back depleted (and AFC West rival) Denver Broncos. Both the Broncos and Chargers put in claims on Michael, but the Chargers have a worse record so they got priority. Funny how that works. Or not funny if you’re a Broncos fan.

Source: Buccaneers.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Cadillac Williams Returns to Bucs Roster

Tampa Bay Bucs RB Cadillac Williams was on the practice field with a trainer during the first day of the team’s minicamp this week. He’s not allowed to practice until he is medically cleared, but head coach Jon Gruden called Cadillac’s speedy comeback from last year’s knee injury nothing short of a miracle:

“It’s one of the most amazing comebacks that I’ve seen. He hasn’t come back yet, but he is banging on the door. Our fans would be proud of him. He’s ready to go now, if you ask him. He’s really putting some good tape together in his individual workouts … the explosive movement appears to be coming back. Change of direction, confidence, stamina, all those things day after day a running back has to do are coming to him. That’s what’s really exciting. He doesn’t appear to have any setbacks at this point. I just keep my fingers crossed and hope it continues, because it’s exciting.”

It wasn’t just any knee injury. Cadillac suffered a career-threatening knee injury last September 30 against Carolina, tearing a patellar tendon. To be back on the practice field already is incredible. In fact, he’s already doing 100-yard sprints, some at full speed. I’m not suggesting you grab him in your fantasy draft, but this is certainly promising news since his surgery last October and obviously successful rehab since.

Source: Tampa Bay Online

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Cadillac Williams Continues ‘Amazing’ Comeback From Devastating Knee Injury