On Monday, reporters asked Rams coach Sean McVay about quarterback Matthew Stafford having ice on his throwing arm after Sunday’s win over the Chargers. On Wednesday, the Rams listed Stafford as having an elbow injury.
Yes, there’s a connection.
“Really, it’s because you guys asked me about it earlier in the week,” McVay told reporters on Friday regarding the decision to disclose an elbow injury for Stafford. “It’s more semantical than anything else. It’s normal, like what he told you guys, but because you guys asked me about him having ice on his elbow. . . . He’s been full, hasn’t missed any sort of reps so normal management stuff that he’s been doing over the last few years.”
It conjures memories of the Patriots’ one-time habit of listing former quarterback Tom Brady as “probable” with a “right shoulder” injury. That all started because he had ice on his shoulder in the locker room, reporters inquired, and the team decided to just put him on the injury report every week.
Has the elbow situation affected Stafford’s throwing?
“I haven’t seen any of that,” McVay said. “I told you guys he’d be better equipped to talk about it. He’s been a full participant, been awesome. He’s spinning the ball. He’s been able to activate all parts of the field with great timing, rhythm, and accuracy so he’s been great.”
So either he has an actual elbow injury that the Rams had been concealing, or he doesn’t really have an elbow injury but they listed him as having one because reporters noticed ice on his arm and asked McVay about it. Neither explanation seems to reflect the true spirit of the injury report, which expects real injuries — and only real injuries — to be disclosed.
Either Stafford has an elbow injury that was previously hidden or he doesn’t have an elbow injury and the claim that he has one is a middle finger to the meddling reporters who were doing their jobs. Neither explanation is a preferred alternative to the unvarnished truth.