brncs_fan
10-21-2006, 08:07 AM
Chiefs quarterback Green cleared to practice next week
Sidelined since he suffered a severe concussion in the Sept. 10 regular-season opener, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green has been cleared by specialists to resume practicing, and will rejoin his teammates on the field next week.
Green, 36, will be able to participate in most of the practice drills, but has not yet been cleared by neurologists to play in a game. Backup Damon Huard, who has started the past four games and performed well, figures to remain in the lineup for a few more weeks.
"(It) does not mean he's been cleared yet to play, but it's a big step, and I, for one, know that he's anxious to get started," team president Carl Peterson told the Kansas City Star.
For the last few weeks, Green has been around the team more, sitting in on meetings, and has been able to lob a ball. But getting back on the field again, even just for passing drills, certainly represents the biggest step yet in his recovery.
The incident on which Green was injured occurred late in the third quarter of the opener against Cincinnati, when the veteran quarterback scrambled upfield to his right and was hit by Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers. Replays show that Geathers' shoulder pads hit Green in the helmet. Green was unconscious for about 11 minutes as doctors and trainers immobilized him before taking him from the field on a cart.
His recovery from the head injury has been a long one. It was several weeks before Green was able to drive or even lob passes. The 13-year veteran had started 81 straight games, every contest the Chiefs had played since acquiring him from the St. Louis Rams in a 2001 trade, before the head injury.
Huard, 33, had not started a game since 2000, and had appeared in only four games since that season, before replacing Green in the lineup. The journeyman quarterback is 2-2 as the Kansas City starter, and has completed 77 of 116 passes for 791 yards, with four touchdown passes and just one interception in his four starts.
A 10-year veteran, Huard has been praised by Chiefs coaches, officials and teammates for his play over the past month.
Peterson said that Huard will take most of the practice snaps next week.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2633846
Sidelined since he suffered a severe concussion in the Sept. 10 regular-season opener, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green has been cleared by specialists to resume practicing, and will rejoin his teammates on the field next week.
Green, 36, will be able to participate in most of the practice drills, but has not yet been cleared by neurologists to play in a game. Backup Damon Huard, who has started the past four games and performed well, figures to remain in the lineup for a few more weeks.
"(It) does not mean he's been cleared yet to play, but it's a big step, and I, for one, know that he's anxious to get started," team president Carl Peterson told the Kansas City Star.
For the last few weeks, Green has been around the team more, sitting in on meetings, and has been able to lob a ball. But getting back on the field again, even just for passing drills, certainly represents the biggest step yet in his recovery.
The incident on which Green was injured occurred late in the third quarter of the opener against Cincinnati, when the veteran quarterback scrambled upfield to his right and was hit by Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers. Replays show that Geathers' shoulder pads hit Green in the helmet. Green was unconscious for about 11 minutes as doctors and trainers immobilized him before taking him from the field on a cart.
His recovery from the head injury has been a long one. It was several weeks before Green was able to drive or even lob passes. The 13-year veteran had started 81 straight games, every contest the Chiefs had played since acquiring him from the St. Louis Rams in a 2001 trade, before the head injury.
Huard, 33, had not started a game since 2000, and had appeared in only four games since that season, before replacing Green in the lineup. The journeyman quarterback is 2-2 as the Kansas City starter, and has completed 77 of 116 passes for 791 yards, with four touchdown passes and just one interception in his four starts.
A 10-year veteran, Huard has been praised by Chiefs coaches, officials and teammates for his play over the past month.
Peterson said that Huard will take most of the practice snaps next week.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2633846