Nebraska football: Matt Slauson ‘one play away’ from being paralyzed
Former Nebraska football star Matt Slauson’s broken back might have not only ended his career, but left him unable to walk.
The Nebraska football team has been talking about toughness and “buy-in” for most of the season. It appears Scott Frost and company will be able to point to a former Husker as an example of exactly what they mean.
Ok, what Matt Slauson did is actually not something the coaching staff will likely be wanting its current offensive linemen to do. They can use the Indianapolis Colts’ veteran’s story as an example of drive and toughness they are looking for.
That’s because it was recently revealed that Slauson played almost an entire half of football with a broken back. He played with two broken vertebrae in the team’s loss to the New England Patriots on Thursday.
Backstory on Matt Slauson's scary injury: Broke 2 vertebrae in his spine early 3Q Thursday, then played through it. Only later he learned he was one play away from serious damage -- could have been paralyzed. "I had no idea how close I was to changing my family's life," he said.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 10, 2018
Slauson didn’t know just how severe the injury was until medical professionals looked him over after the game. On Monday, the injury was severe enough that the Colts put their center on the IR.
It turns out it could have been much worse. The Indianapolis Star’s Zak Keefer was able to reach Slauson who said he was a bit blindsided when he got word of just how bad it could have been.
Keefer says it wasn’t until much later that Slauson found out the crushed vertebrae meant he was a play away from permanent, irreparable damage. He told the reporter he “had no idea how close I was to changing my family’s life.”
Obviously, the Huskers’ coaches are not wanting their players to play through something like that. It’s actually quite the reminder of just how dangerous the game of football can be.
Next. Nebraska jumps into fray with 4-star wide receiver prospect Troy Omeire. dark
It does show a kind of grit and toughness that the Nebraska football team has been missing for several years. The players don’t need to be injured to show a level of toughness that would measure up to former Cornhusker teams.