First Overall Pick Jadeveon Clowney Placed on IR

After missing six games at the beginning of the season and then returning for another short stint of playing time, Coach Bill O’Brien has announced that the first overall pick, Jadeveon Clowney, needs a second surgery on his right knee, resulting in Houston placing him on the season-ending IR.

This news does not comes as a surprise, since Clowney has missed plenty of time due to injury. He initially missed all of training camp with a sports hernia, but then missed a good portion of the season due to an arthroscopic surgery on his right knee for a meniscus tear — an injury the athlete has never fully come back from. 

At the moment, Clowney has only played in four games garnering only seven tackles and zero sacks. His last game was against the Cincinnati Bengals on November 23, where he amassed a season high 49 snaps. But directly following the contest, he was feeling discomfort and swelling in his bad knee, resulting in him missing last week’s beatdown on the Tennessee Titans and the eventual diagnosis that put him on the injured reserve.  

Now, there is not an official diagnosis on his knee. All the media knows is that his right knee requires another surgery. The Houston Texans twitter page has been lighting up about the injury, with various coaches commenting on the issue, as well as their refusal to get into specifics.

Has the Houston Texans made a mistake by drafting Jadeveon Clowney first overall? Only time will tell. But the player, who many analysts called into question before 2014’s draft, will have to wow in the 2015 season to quell all the talk about being a draft bust. As for the Texans, they are still battling for a wildcard spot at 6-6, but even after their huge win against the Titans, their chances of making the playoffs is looking slim.

Article by Anthony Falco