Samuel Benjamin Watkins, aka Sammy Watkins, is an American football wide receiver and a free agent who proves there can be no NFL player without any injury. Moreover, he has a long list of injuries. He inclined toward football during his junior and senior years at South Fort Myers High School.
Sammy had already proved himself before getting recruited for the college football season in 2011. After getting offers from several schools all over the US, he chose Clemson, where he showed his colors in his freshman season. Moreover, he broke eleven school freshman records in the same year.
Sammy entered the 2014 NFL Draft after playing for his senior season. He signed a contract with Buffalo Bills in 2014, Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, Baltimore Ravens in 2021, and Green Bay Packers in 2022. However, his favorite football team from his childhood was Buffalo Bills.
Sammy was suspended in 2012-2013 for the first two games after getting arrested for possession of marijuana. However, he was declared free of charge after clearing pre-trial intervention.
Sammy’s Injury In 2015
Sammy got a calf injury in 2015. So, he played only three games out of five and had only seven catches for ninety-nine yards. His fans made harsh comments on social media due to his absence from the remaining game.
It, in turn, made Sammy angry, who boldly answered his critical fans on Instagram through a comment that he deleted afterward. He asked them to focus on their menial jobs for the rest of their lives, which made Buffalo Bills fans angry.
After learning about the chaos on social media, Sammy tweeted, explaining his hidden intentions. Accordingly, his harsh words were not for the fans but for those who could not accept injured players.
Later, Sammy shared a photo regarding negative comments from the fans on Instagram and accepted that his reaction was inappropriate. He also mentioned that Buffalo Bills fans were not involved in raising the uproar on social media. Those were the other fans.
Sammy’s Injury In 2016
In September 2016, the Buffalo Bills announced that Sammy Watkins was an injured reserve due to his surgically repaired foot. Wide Receiver Justin Hunter emerged as his substitute. The Buffalo Bills could not call him for the remaining season, and he had to rest for eight weeks.
According to the New York Daily, Robert Anderson, a renowned foot specialist, advised him not to go for surgery at that time. However, the final decision depended upon Sammy’s foot’s progress. However, he faced discomfort due to the screws in his foot.
Sammy became active before Week 12 and played in the November 2016 season. He recorded twenty-eight receptions for two receiving touchdowns and 430 receiving yards. Sammy’s foot was reportedly examined and fine by 12 September 2016.
After signing a one-year contract with the Green Bay Packers, Sammy got a hamstring injury in April 2022 and was placed on injured reserve. He was freed in December 2022.
Sammy’s List Of Injuries
Sammy played a non-NFL match in 2011 and 2012. While playing against Wake Forest in November 2011, he sprained his right shoulder before the final game. After thirteen months, Sammy knocked the Clemson star WR despite a right ankle sprain. After that, he started playing for the NFL.
Sammy played during the NFL season in 2014 but had minor hip surgery when he got a slight tear in his labrum. The following year, he missed his two final games after getting his left ankle sprained in the sixth week.
The field is not the only place to get injured. Sammy is one of the players who also gets injured during training. For instance, in April 2016, a screw was inserted in Sammy’s left foot fractured during a training workout. His teammate stumbled upon his surgically repaired foot in September 2016, and Sammy missed eight games.
However, Sammy got two screws inserted in his left foot in January 2017. He got an injury in his right foot in November 2018. Sammy tried to resume his game in the same month but could not last long. After eleven months, He returned to the field and got a hamstring and shoulder injury.
Sammy suffered from strained groin, head, hamstring, and calf injuries from August 2020 to December 2020. In October 2021, he missed three games against the Colts after getting a thigh injury. The then-29-year-old football player, full of bumps and bruises, returned in the seventh week of September 2022.
