Kirkendall Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 CINCINNATI - Cornerback Dennis Weathersby is slowly recovering from a head injury suffered in a car accident last week, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said Monday. Weathersby is listed in serious condition at University Hospital, where he has been since his car went off a highway ramp and hit a utility pole on April 12. Lewis and several Bengals players have visited Weathersby, a fourth-round draft pick from Oregon State last year. "From what we've been told, this is going to take some time and we've got to be very patient," Lewis said. "They would still rank (his condition) as serious, but they feel good about the way things are progressing." Doctors told Lewis there is no way to estimate Weathersby's recovery time. "When you're dealing with the injury he has, every person is a little different," Lewis said. "Dennis' age, physical condition and so forth are very much in his favor. It just takes time." The family has asked that details of the injury be kept private, agent Steve Caric said Monday. Weathersby, 23, has spent much of the last year overcoming serious injuries unrelated to football. He was considered one of the top cornerbacks available in the draft until he was wounded in a drive-by shooting in suburban Los Angeles. Police said he was an innocent bystander to gang violence. A bullet entered his back, passed just below his lung and lodged in his arm. He was so weak that he could walk only a few steps at a time on draft day, prompting him to slip to the fourth round. He wasn't fully recovered by the time training camp opened, and appeared in only four games on special teams during the season. Lewis was counting on him to play a much larger role this season, before the head injury left his outlook uncertain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishcovga Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 I think he'll be able to play again, but '04 might be another "red-shirt" year for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle_Fever Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 Hopefully the kid will be ok. Seems a bit hush hush. Could be more serious than we thought. Right now I would be surprised if he plays again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevnz Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 I don't think it's that bad. I mean it's still bad,don't get me wrong. But he was never in a critical condition, only serious...Plus they have said he was alert and had to keep him sedated, so that means he's not unaware of things, so that's a plus. There has been no mention of paralysis so that's another plus...Brain injuries are slow going but there is no reason that he won't make a recovery. Does this mean he'll play this year? No, ever again? Who knows, but it could very well mean that he will be okay, and that is infinately more important than his playing football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmyBengal Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 All I can say being a Medical Instructor is, this will be slow going... The timeframe on his return (If any) will also be depend on what part of the brain was injured and how badly... The family wants things to be hush hush and with what little info we have at this point, all we can do is speculate. Lastly, I just want to say, I don't care if he ever plays again, as long as he is able to live a normal life with little to no long term problems. Would love to see him in uniform, but if I'm doing the speculating, and I AM, I would guess not any time soon, if ever...WHODEY !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierCat Posted April 19, 2004 Report Share Posted April 19, 2004 That Dennis is on the road to recovery is the best Bengals news of the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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