Packers receiver Watson returns to game with broken rib after hospital trip
Christian Watson spent up to an hour in a Green Bay hospital with a chest injury before rejoining the field to secure a win over the Panthers.
By Thomas Bennett ·
In professional football, players who suffer severe injuries often leave the game for good. On Thursday night, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson defied that norm by returning to the field after a hospital stay.
Watson suffered the injury in the second quarter while making a 53-yard reception. The play involved a collision with Carolina Panthers cornerback Will Lee, who was diving to make a stop. Lee left the game with a hamstring injury and did not return. Watson remained on the field initially but struggled to breathe.
The medical staff sent Watson to a hospital for a CT scan. He stated that he was spitting up blood on the sideline, which prompted the doctor to order the imaging. The scan revealed a broken rib but no internal bleeding. Watson estimated he spent between 45 minutes and an hour at the facility before being transported back to Lambeau Field.
He returned to the game in the third quarter with padding on his broken rib. The Packers won the matchup 27 to 19. Watson finished with eight catches for 113 yards. His return helped prevent the Panthers from completing a comeback after they had narrowed the deficit from 27-10 to 27-19.
Watson secured the win with a seven-yard reception on a third-down play with approximately two and a half minutes remaining. This marked his first return to action after missing time earlier in the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He noted that the clean CT scan made the decision to play easy for him.
Teammates expressed surprise at his return. Safety Javon Bullard called the sequence of events crazy. Safety Xavier McKinney described Watson's action as a display of resilience and toughness. Watson compared the experience to watching professional wrestling, noting the cameras on him as he exited the ambulance.
Watson has had a career year through the first eight games. He holds career highs with 42 receptions and 708 receiving yards. He received a large ovation from the crowd when he sprinted out of the tunnel and rejoined his teammates on the field.
Source: Stamford Advocate
