The Los Angeles Rams made the sensible decision to significantly grow their sports medicine department in 2023, given the high number of offensive weapon injuries.
The Los Angeles Rams are taking on the task of enhancing the team for the 2024 NFL season by going beyond the coaching staff and their 90-man roster. That comes as a little surprise. John Brice of Football Scoop reports that the team added four experts to their Sports Medicine and Performance section.
When it comes to making sure there is enough staff available to meet players’ demands, the LA Rams are hardly strangers. However, the presence of important offensive players like quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, running back Kyren Williams, and tight ends Tyler Higbee and Hunter Long may have been sufficient to highlight the need for the team to add more personnel in one of the most important areas of the roster.
Specifically, sports medicine. As Brice discloses in his piece: “Joe Distor from the Houston Texans and Chris Aninye from the University of Tennessee will join the Rams as strength training associates for their support crew. Trent Frey has also been hired by the Rams to serve as their performance science coordinator.
Finally, Justin Chatman from Furman University is set to join the franchise in a performance science/strength and conditioning fellowship position
That appears to be a significant growth for the team in only a single year. However, the investment appears prudent and timely when considering the number of injuries sustained by the team’s main offensive weapons in 2023 and NFL regulations that continue to change the criteria surrounding the usage of the Injured Reserve classification.
It takes longer for important athletes to heal and recover from even small injuries as they get older. Given that wide receiver Cooper Kupp, tight end Tyler Higbee, and quarterback Matthew Stafford are all older than thirty. To guarantee that any injuries are treated with the best care possible, they will require all the assistance the team can muster.
Not only that, but the team’s fascination with smallish running backs like Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers, Blake Corum, and Boston Scott means that the Sport Medicine group will be fully engaged in ensuring that fatigue and soft tissue injuries are kept at a minimum this season.
The team appeared to experience a small breakout of minor injuries in 2023 that could have derailed the offensive firepower significantly. With four more professionals on staff to assist players to remain healthy and fit, while also aiding their recovery should injury befall them, the team is improving their chances for success in the new NFL season.
As always, thanks for reading.
