VIKINGS S LEWIS CINE HAS SUCCESSFUL SURGERY, OUT FOR THE YEAR
Minnesota Vikings rookie safety Lewis Cine suffered a gruesome season-ending compound fracture injury to his lower leg during the team’s 28-25 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in London. The 2022 first-round draft pick was officially placed on the team’s injured reserve list on Tuesday.
Cine was carted off the field after what looked like a serious leg injury during a punt coverage play in the first quarter of the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The former Georgia Bulldogs’ left leg was stabilized in an air cast, an indication of a severe and potential long-term injury.
The Vikings released a statement early Monday morning revealing that Cine was immediately transported to a local hospital in London on Sunday evening where he underwent a successful preparatory procedure ahead of his surgery on Tuesday, October 4. The team revealed that Cine will remain in London with one member of the Vikings’ medical staff as he continues his initial recovery and will return to Minnesota at an appropriate time.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters via conference call that Cine’s injury was a “compound fracture” which by definition is when the bone breaks the skin. Asked if he knew enough to be certain that Cine will make it back on the field, O’Connell said: “That’s a tough question right now. We’ve been so short-term as far as making sure that he’s getting the care both medically and then support-wise from us as an organization, although we had to leave and come home, Lew, we’re still right there with you. Obviously having a staffer with him there by his side. The good news is that he’s going to receive great care. We feel great about how this procedure is going to go now that he’s had this preparatory procedure to make sure first and foremost you can mitigate any kind of issues that can come about.”
Cine underwent a successful procedure at 2 pm on Tuesday afternoon UK time at Cleveland Clinic London. The surgery was performed by Dr. Aswinkumar (Ash) Vasireddy, the Orthopedic Trauma Group Lead Surgeon at the hospital, and Cine is set to start his rehab in London before he is healthy enough to travel to the US and continue rehabilitation with the team.
O’Connell said that this wasn’t his first time dealing with a player with an injury like this and spoke highly of the “great care” that Cine was receiving in the UK. He went on to say that the organization wanted to “get him [Cine] back in the facility as soon as possible” with the mindset of doing whatever is in the young safety’s best interest.
The then 22-year-old, who turned 23 on Wednesday, October 5th, is in “great spirits” according to a team statement, and tweeted post-surgery on Tuesday saying he was “attacking this rehab” and was looking forward to a return to the field. He wrote: “Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes over the last two days. I’m sorry I have not been able to respond to everyone that has reached out, but please know your support has been truly felt. I am incredibly grateful for the care I have received from the doctors and staff at Cleveland Clinic London. With today’s surgery behind me, I’m looking forward to returning to Minnesota, supporting my teammates, and attacking this rehab so I can get back to doing what I love to do. Skol Vikings!”
“[Executive Director of Player Health & Performance] Tyler [Williams], [Head Athletic Trainer] Uriah [Myrie], and our staff have a great plan for him,” O’Connell went on. “And I obviously feel great knowing we’ve got one of our medical staff there with him that will travel home with him, as well. Just know that we’re going to do everything in our power, and I know the player and I know the person and the human being that Lewis is. I think fans probably felt that with the reaction of our team in the game with every single member of our football team going out there. Just wanted to let Lew know we were here with him, and then ultimately it’s going to be about that road to recovery.”
Although O’Connell didn’t specify in his reference to having seen this injury before in a player, he might be alluding to the Alex Smith injury in 2018. The 37-year-old was an assistant with the Washington Redskins in 2018 when starting quarterback Alex Smith suffered a similar injury. Smith, now retired, fought back from a severe infection that nearly resulted in amputation and was back on the field in 2020.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero