Jon Beason Did Not Return Too Soon

Linebacker Jon Beason said the season-ending Achilles tendon tear he suffered Sunday during the Panthers' opener at Arizona was not the result of attempting to come back too soon after being bothered by Achilles discomfort during the preseason.

"A lot of people say, hey, he rushed back too soon," Beason wrote on his website, beason52.com. "But actually, I didn't. I told my teammates and myself that I would only play if I could help the team. I felt ready to do that. Myself and the Panthers' medical staff were convinced that I was healthy enough to play in the opener against the Cardinals."

Beason, who has made three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, did not play during the preseason and had very limited practice time after developing Achilles tendinitis in May.

On Aug. 22, he had surgery to alleviate inflammation caused by a bone bruise in his left foot and doctors said the normal recovery time was three to four weeks.

Beason was injured Sunday while trying to chase down former Panthers tight end Jeff King on a third-quarter touchdown for the Cardinals.
An MRI on Monday confirmed the tear. Beason is expected to have surgery soon.

Starting his fifth season and having just signed a five-year, $51.3 million extension, Beason will miss his first regular-season game Sunday when Carolina will host Green Bay. Beason had played in 65 consecutive games.

In his blog, Beason suggested he understood the risk of playing in the opener.

"If I had to do it all over again and go into that game with my Achilles injury, I would," Beason wrote. "Because football defines who I am.
"Sometimes you have to do something you've never done to get something you've never had. The motivating factor is simple for me. To win and not fear failure.

"These setbacks and obstacles are all part of it. Nothing worth attaining comes easy and I know that. I'm convinced I did everything in my power to play the game I love. That's why today I can't say I'm mad or upset, because I went at it with everything I had just to contribute for the team."

Beason wrote he will begin rehab with the goal of coming back better than ever.

"The goal will never change," he wrote. "I'm still focused on winning a Super Bowl, being the best player I can be and leaving my mark on the game as someone who never quit."

Click here to order Jon Beason’s proCane Rookie Card.


(latimes.com)