Sep
Thelwell done for season
Courtesy Calgary Herald:
It was, as first feared, bad news. Not only for veteran receiver Ryan Thelwell, but also for the Calgary Stampeders.
“Ryan Thelwell unfortunately tore his Achilles tendon and will be getting an operation (today),” said a solemn head coach and general manager John Hufnagel, following post- game meetings Saturday at McMahon Stadium
“He’s done for the season and will go into a rehab process to get back on the field next year.”
Thelwell suffered the season-ending injury after making a catch, his 31st of the season, during Friday night’s 24-17 loss to the host Hamilton
Tiger-Cats. Given his age and the nature of the injury, it’s possible the 36-year-old could be finished with football.
Few athletes, especially in positions that demand abrupt turns at top speed, ever come back from torn Achilles. In fact, a similar injury sealed Hufnagel’s fate towards the end of his career, but he wasn’t about to use that as a benchmark.
“Players have come back,” said the former Stampeders quarterback. “Ryan will first have to see how the operation goes, see how rehab goes and see where he is in his mind.
‘‘He was having a good year and I believe he wanted to play, or attempt to play, next year, but this puts another wrinkle to it. We’ll just have to be patient to see how it unfolds.”
If there’s any irony in the situation it is Thelwell was filling the void left by Ken-Yon Rambo, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during a July 24 game against the B.C. Lions in Vancouver.
Now, when the Lions come calling Friday night, there’ll be another replacement at the position, possibly hoping the injury domino stops at Thelwell.
If Hufnagel hopes to replace a Canadian with a Canadian, he doesn’t have a lot of options.
Blaine Kruger has played one CFL game on special teams,
although the most likely option is Jabari Arthur, who broke a foot in the pre-season after getting into eight games last season without making a catch.
“We’ll spend the rest of today and tomorrow discussing it, put some things together to see how we’ll man that position,” Hufnagel said Saturday. “Arthur practised the last day last week. He still has some tightness and soreness, but he proved to himself it (foot) is structurally sound.
“Now, he has to fight through some pain. I’m hoping that when we get back on the field (Monday),
he’ll be able to go through a whole practice, but we’re kind of in a wait-and-see mode.”
A final option would be to wheel in an American receiver, but that would mean the coaching staff would have to pare an import from another position, possibly on defence.
Coaches also may have to deal with a hole on the offensive line. Second-year man Jesse Newman, a six-foot-four, 308-pounder, hurt a shoulder on the last play of the game and was having an MRI done.
“Until that report comes back, we won’t know whether it’s a bruise or a problem, but it’s an injury that needs a picture,” said Hufnagel.
The loss of the popular Thelwell, meanwhile, continued to ripple throughout the team.
“It’s definitely going to hurt the team, but you feel worse for Ryan,” said veteran receiver Brett Ralph. “He’s a guy who comes out, works hard, such a team guy . . . being a guy watching it happen you start to think how many steps you take in your life that it doesn’t happen.
“Unfortunately, he must have taken a wrong step and has to suffer the consequences. You just hope his recovery goes as planned. You hope it isn’t the end, that he’ll do everything he can to get himself prepared.”
Thelwell had been bothered by the Achilles tendon for some time, but it hadn’t really slowed him down as he stepped in and filled Rambo’s assignments.
“Those two guys are irreplaceable,” said quarterback Henry Burris. “Especially a guy like Ryan, a Canadian who’s been
having a successful season. It’s kind of hard to replace a guy who’s been doing that and has that Canadian status, but also he’s a good friend.
“I’m sad to see him bow out of the year he’s been having. It was heartbreaking to see it, truthfully, I can tell you that.”
