Nov. 29, 2015; Kansas City, MO; Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston (50) leaves the field following an injury during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Outside linebacker Justin Houston’s (knee) visit to renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, prompted shockwaves Wednesday to those outside of One Arrowhead Drive.
Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder on Thursday quickly alleviated the worry.
“I don’t want anybody to be alarmed that he went to Dr. Andrews,” Burkholder said. “We knew it, we supported it, we backed it.”
Burkholder said Houston was in Pensacola, Fla., for a second opinion, which the athletic trainer points out is not unusual for NFL players.
“We’ve had a lot of players treated by Dr. Andrews,” Burkholder said, “so we’re very comfortable with him going down there and we supported the idea of him going down there. They have some excellent athletic trainers and physical therapists down there as well.”
Houston hasn’t practiced or played since suffering the knee injury in Week 12, but there is room for optimism.
While there is no announced timetable for Houston’s return, the best news to come from Burkholder surrounded no change to Houston’s injury from what the Chiefs briefed on Dec. 2.
And the second opinion confirmed that briefing.
“As I said before, it’s a hyperextended knee,” Burkholder said. “He’s getting better, now that his swelling is down, his motion’s back, we thought it was a good time to see Dr. Andrews and he’ll be back up here in a couple of days. We’ll continue his rehab process.”
Second-year outside linebacker Dee Ford, who has seven tackles and 3 1/2 sacks in Week 14, will likely continue to start in Houston’s absence.
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Herbie Teope is the lead Chiefs beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com and The Topeka Capital-Journal. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @HerbieTeope.
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