Ryan Mathews Injury: Updates on Chargers Star's Shoulder and Recovery

It's a sentence that San Diego Chargers fans have become all-too-accustomed to hearing: Ryan Mathews is injured. 

According to Ricky Henne of Chargers.com the talented-but-often-sidelined running back is dealing with yet another affliction, this time to his shoulder:

However, Mathews, was able to shake off the injury and return to the game, via Michael Gehlken of UT-San Diego:

Unfortunately for the former first-round pick, injuries have been a large part of his career. He has proven to be quite dynamic when healthy and on the field, but that just hasn't happened for consistent stretches. The only season he has logged a full 16 games during his five-year career was in 2013, when he unsurprisingly looked like one of the best backs in the league down the stretch.

Most recently, Mathews missed two months with an MCL sprain, and the Chargers went 4-3 in his absence.

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

"The reality is we’re a good team without Ryan, but we’re a better team with him," veteran tight end Antonio Gates told reporters after Mathews' previous injury, via ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams. "I think that says it all. Everyone knows what he brings to the table, the explosiveness."

Should Mathews re-aggravate the injury, the diminutive rookie Branden Oliver will once again see a large workload, while Ronnie Brown will also mix in.