12 Strangest Injuries in NFL History

The NFL has seen its players sustain some pretty weird injuries in its existence.

Some on the field, some off—either way, they aren't your normal injuries. Now some of these injuries are just freak events that are certainly worth hearing about. The others...well let's just say they easily could've been avoided. 

Here are a few of the strangest injuries ever recorded in NFL history.

12. Turk vs Turf

This one goes way way back to 1940.

Out on the field for the coin toss prior to a game with the New York Giants, Turk Edwards quickly spun around to head back to his team's sidelines. Sounds normal, right?

Well, the fact he blew out a knee when his cleats became entangled with the turf certainly isn't. The injury ended not only his season, but his career as well. 

I guess it's safe to say that the turf won this battle. 

11. Keep Choppin' Away

After an 0-3 start, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio placed a stump in the locker room with an ax in it. The message to the team was "Keep chopping wood," meant to inspire players.

Players all took a hack at the stump, and then it was punter Chris Hanson's turn.

Swinging the ax—and missing—Hanson hit himself and gashed his right leg. Hanson required emergency surgery that ended his season.

However, Hanson is no stranger to odd injuries. In June of 2002, Hanson, his wife and former Jaguars placekicker Jaret Holmes were all severely burned at Hanson’s house when a fondue pot overturned.

I'm glad I don't know him. 

10. Blackburn's Q-Tip

This one makes me cringe.

On Sept. 30, 2007, after a win over the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn was accidentally bumped by a reporter in the locker room while cleaning his ears with a Q-Tip. Blackburn's eardrum nearly ruptured by the invading swab, and he reported a loss of hearing.

Could you imagine that happening? Next time you decided to clean your ears, be aware of your surroundings. 

That must've been a hefty reporter—or an Eagles fan. Regardless, you have to keep your ears clean.

9. Shot to the Groin

In the summer of 2007, Washington Redskins rookie safety LaRon Landry—the rough and tough man we've seen—took a paintball shot to his groin during a team-building outing.

The shot left him unable to practice with the team when minicamp opened two days later.

Thankfully for Landry, he was fine after a few days and there was no permanent damage. Pads are invented for a reason, Landry. You of all people should know that.

8. Simmons Too Cold

This one is just great, and odd.

On Oct. 9, 2006, Pittsburgh Steelers RG Kendall Simmons suffered a frostbite-like burn after falling asleep with a chemical ice pack on his foot while watching some Monday Night Football. The injury caused him to miss the next game in hopes his wound didn't worsen.

Now I'm sure the injury he was icing wasn't worth all this trouble. 

Lesson learned, Kendall?

7. Summer Bites!

You know those cheap bug sprays they sell everywhere to keep away the annoying bugs? Invest in them.

Carolina Panthers' Kindal Moorehead woke up on the first day of the team’s training camp with a mysterious bite mark on his right firearm. Four days after the bite occurred, he was hospitalized and on intravenous fluids and antibiotics for four more days.

Next, his hand and elbow became infected and swollen. It is believed Moorehead was bitten by a spider, but the definite cause is unknown.

Gotta love the outdoors!

6. Heads Up Gus

This one has been seen everywhere as a bone-headed play.

Back in 1997, after scoring on a one-yard run late in the first half of a game against the New York Giants, Washington Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte decided that headbutting a padded wall at the end zone was "manly."

Well, that headbutt caused him to sustain a sprained neck that required X-rays and a trip to a local hospital for evaluation. Good news is that at least they won the game, so it was worth it I'm sure.

Nice one, Gus.

5. Nothing Like Popcorn in Your Eye

This one must've been a thing to watch.

Do you know how to take a 6'7", 360-pound offensive lineman down? Well, Orlando Brown of the Cleveland Browns knows how.

During a December game in 1999, Brown went down in a heap after being hit in the face with a penalty flag during an unsportsman-like conduct call.

At the time, the league’s yellow flags were weighted with popcorn kernels, and the massive lineman suffered loss of vision and damage to his right eye.

Brown went on to sue the NFL and missed three full seasons. The injury prompted the league to require all penalty flags to be weighted with sand.

I think it's safe to say he avoids popcorn now at all costs.

4. Mason Tees Off

Players should always be careful what they do in their free time. They wouldn't want to jeopardize hurting themselves.

Back in May of 2003 at a charity golf event, Derrick Mason broke his right hand while teeing off.

“It’s just one of those freak things,” Mason said after-the-fact. “I hit the ball the wrong way and kind of twisted my hand.”

He can thank coach Jeff Fisher, who was responsible for hosting the event. I don't know what that ball was made of, but stick to football.

3. Owen Owns Himself

Here's one to get you pumped!

During the Seattle Seahawks/Jacksonville Jaguars pre-game player announcements, fullback Owen Schmitt wanted to get himself fired up and ready.

How did he decide he would do that? Well, by smashing his helmet to his head repeatedly, of course! The act left him with a major gash in his forehead and blood loss.

However, he did still play in the game after getting numerous stitches and a new jersey. 

Boy, am I glad he's an Eagle!

2. Bill Can't Sit Still

They always say celebrating excessively makes you a sore loser.

Here is kicker Bill Gramatica's case. Gramatica tore his ACL jumping for joy after making a 42-yard field goal for the Cardinals. The torn ACL placed Gramatica on the sidelines for the rest of his rookie season.

He was never the same after the injury, going from making 16-of-20 field goals his rookie year to being out of the NFL three years later.

When you make a field goal, just smile and walk away or do the occasional arm pump.

1. Marshall McDonald

Does the name Brandon Marshall sound familiar with incidents when it comes to freak injuries? This time, he's not being stabbed.

To add to his impressive resume of non-football related injuries, listen to this one.

Marshall initially said to reporters that he slipped and fell on a McDonald's wrapper, stuck out his hand to brace his fall and it went through a TV entertainment center. He also confirmed later he was a wee bit drunk.

That Ronald McDonald is a killer, I knew it. Next time, stick to BK.