On his way out of the door, tight end Martellus Bennett took a shot at the Green Bay Packers and team doctor Pat McKenzie for making him feel unsafe and pushing him to play through a shoulder injury.
That's a bold accusation, and it's one that Bennett's former teammates did not take kindly to.
Specifically, Packers' wideout Jordy Nelson came to the defense of the team doctor, posting a statement on social media (as passed on by Pro Football Talk):
"In 10 years of being with the Packers organization and having multiple injuries and surgeries, I have never once felt pressured to play in a game," Nelson said. "If anything, I have had to try and convince Dr. McKenzie and the athletic trainers to allow me to practice or play in a game. Dr. McKenzie is very cautious about putting players back on the field with an injury and always puts the player's health before the team."
Nelson is about as non-confrontational and out of the spotlight as a football player can be — especially for a wideout — so for him to say something is a pretty big deal.
For what it's worth, Aaron Rodgers also made a statement defending the team's doctor on Instagram:
I've been working with Dr. McKenzie for 13 years, and as well as being a phenomenal doctor, he's also become a close friend. He's done surgery on me twice, and I trust him and his opinion implicitly. Doc has always tried to protect me and my future, even if it meant protecting me from myself and my desire to get back on the field before I should. #gbpfamily #mydoc #ibackpat The interesting thing in all of this is that Bennett's shoulder was apparently good to go while Rodgers was healthy, but now that the star quarterback is potentially out of the season the tight end felt it was high time to get surgery. It's also interesting to point out that Bennett is currently practicing with his new team and new quarterback, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, so apparently his shoulder is already feeling better.You Might Also Like
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