AJC > Sports > Falcons > Blog > Archives > 2006 > November > 07
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Mathis will be missed
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The loss of Kevin Mathis for the season because of a neck injury is something tough to see personally. As a reporter, you don’t get too attached to athletes or coaches to maintain objectivity. However, it’s hard not to admire people and Mathis is someone I hold in high regard.
First off, he is a decent person who has generated the utmost respect from all of his teammates and coaches for his toughness, thoughtfulness and reliability. His return from a season-ending knee injury last season was a point of inspiration for several coaches and teammates, including wide receiver Brian Finneran, who is going through a lot of the same physical and emotional trials Mathis went through.
Though Mathis is expected to fully recover from his neck injury, the fact that this is his second major spinal injury in five years and that he is 32 years old could trigger his retirement, voluntarily or forced. Mathis may opt to walk away for his long-term health. The Falcons or any other team might not want to risk putting him on the field again either.
In terms of football, Mathis’s injury could provide an opportunity for rookie Jimmy Williams or kick returner Allen Rossum as the nickel back. By the way, Rossum is another classy and standout individual who stayed with Mathis at a hospital in Detroit after Mathis got hurt against the Lions.
An offshoot to all of this that could trigger some concern, the key injuries the Falcons are taking on defense are coming at the same spots as last season – defensive end, middle linebacker and nickel back. We all know how that panned out.
Atlanta should be able to absorb the losses better because of the experience of some of the replacements and because safeties Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker has stabilized that part of the defense to some degreee. However, depth could become an issue for a unit that has struggled, especially against the pass the past three games.
