Rams QB Sam Bradford's tragic injury this preseason has turned the rest of his career in to a big question mark. Bradford was drafted in 2010, along with Mark Sanchez, and Matt Stafford headlining the QB class that year. All 3 were expected to have successful NFL careers, and despite Sanchez not starting this season, Bradford has taken the worse blows of the 3 QB's.
Bradford started off his career in 2010, having plenty of success as a rookie following a six year deal that he signed with St. Louis. He was able to overcome a tough debut (3 interceptions), and ended up leading the league in completed passes, just ahead of 2nd place Peyton Manning. He also broke Manning's record of completed passes by a rookie with 326 of them. He did not miss a game, and passed for over 3,000 yards and the future was looking bright for the rookie.
The injuries would begin to hit him in hard in 2011 as he suffered the "sophomore slump" due to the struggling battle with injuries. He dealt with a lower-body injury for most of the season, and the Rams would end the season with a 2-14 record. Many, including coach Jeff Fisher, believed that Bradford would be able to regain health and return to form from his rookie season. Bradford did just that with career-high numbers of 3,702 yards and 21 TD's, leading his team to a surprising 7-8-1 record in 2012. Many believed that Bradford was officially back.
Sam Bradford got off to another quick start last season, including passing for nearly 2,000 yards, with 14 TD's in the first 6 games. The Rams looked to be on their way to a possible playoff berth behind the rejuvenated QB, continuing to overcome the injuries of 2 seasons ago. In week 7 Bradford and the Rams would suffer a crushing blow when the QB tore his ACL in a game against the Panthers. He would miss the rest of the season following surgery and attempted a comeback this season.
Bradford's injury is scarier than usual due to the fact that it is his second torn ACL in as many years, and to the same left knee that was surgically repaired in the offseason. The Rams are still throwing out a relevant QB in Shaun Hill. Despite being a backup in Detroit the last few years, he did show signs of being able to have success in the NFL in the limited playing time he received. The big question though has been whether or not Bradford will be able to start under center in the NFL ever again. Only 55% of people said Bradford will start in the NFL again in a recent ESPN.com poll, with only 19% saying he will be above-average in another ESPN.com poll. In a career that has seen it's share of ups and downs, this is a down that Bradford may not be able to get up from.
Bradford started off his career in 2010, having plenty of success as a rookie following a six year deal that he signed with St. Louis. He was able to overcome a tough debut (3 interceptions), and ended up leading the league in completed passes, just ahead of 2nd place Peyton Manning. He also broke Manning's record of completed passes by a rookie with 326 of them. He did not miss a game, and passed for over 3,000 yards and the future was looking bright for the rookie.
The injuries would begin to hit him in hard in 2011 as he suffered the "sophomore slump" due to the struggling battle with injuries. He dealt with a lower-body injury for most of the season, and the Rams would end the season with a 2-14 record. Many, including coach Jeff Fisher, believed that Bradford would be able to regain health and return to form from his rookie season. Bradford did just that with career-high numbers of 3,702 yards and 21 TD's, leading his team to a surprising 7-8-1 record in 2012. Many believed that Bradford was officially back.
Sam Bradford got off to another quick start last season, including passing for nearly 2,000 yards, with 14 TD's in the first 6 games. The Rams looked to be on their way to a possible playoff berth behind the rejuvenated QB, continuing to overcome the injuries of 2 seasons ago. In week 7 Bradford and the Rams would suffer a crushing blow when the QB tore his ACL in a game against the Panthers. He would miss the rest of the season following surgery and attempted a comeback this season.
Bradford's injury is scarier than usual due to the fact that it is his second torn ACL in as many years, and to the same left knee that was surgically repaired in the offseason. The Rams are still throwing out a relevant QB in Shaun Hill. Despite being a backup in Detroit the last few years, he did show signs of being able to have success in the NFL in the limited playing time he received. The big question though has been whether or not Bradford will be able to start under center in the NFL ever again. Only 55% of people said Bradford will start in the NFL again in a recent ESPN.com poll, with only 19% saying he will be above-average in another ESPN.com poll. In a career that has seen it's share of ups and downs, this is a down that Bradford may not be able to get up from.
