THE LEAGUE OF INJURED GENTLEMEN

We think of football players as supermen, able to withstand all manner of physical abuse for as long as it takes.

We’re mistaken. Many don’t make it through training camp, much less the NFL’s meaningless preseason games.

Now, those games are meaningless in that they don’t count in the standings. Most NFL general managers and coaches need the games to determine how players react in real time against opposition. But there are four of these charades (five in the case of teams that play in the Hall of Fame game) and they have a human cost.

On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers lost receiver Jordy Nelson (knee) for the season and the Pittsburgh Steelers lost center Maurkice Pouncey (leg), also likely for the season. The Steelers had previously seen their kicker, Shaun Suisham, suffer a season-ending knee injury.

The Washington Redskins will be without special teams standout Adam Heyward (knee) and quarterback Robert Griffin III already has a concussion.

It even happens in practice. When the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers worked together last week, the Dolphins lost safety Louis Delmas (knee) and the Panthers will be without receiver Kelvin Benjamin (knee).

What to do? Good question. Colleges play no preseason games. They seem to manage, though their first few games can be a bit raggedy. But the NFL plays four preseason games (and charges fans full price for the tickets). There have been discussions of playing just two and then having an 18-game regular season, but that has gained little traction.

Adjusting the preseason seems to be the best answer. Players have to practice. Maybe the games have to go, or be cut down.

“This is a sport we’re all going to be injured at some point,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Sunday. “It’s a 100% injury rate for every player. You’re going to deal with it. You just hate to see it in the preseason because it doesn’t count for anything.”
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .