Monday night during the Jacksonville Jaguars game against the Cincinnati Bengals, quarterback Trevor Lawrence went down with what many thought looked like a severe injury to his leg.
The Jags quarterback would eventually make his way to a standing position, but inexplicably there was no cart on the field to help him get to the locker room.
Instead, Lawrence very slowly and gingerly limped his way to the locker room with the aid of an assistant coach and a security officer.
The look on his face says it all. An officer has to also help Lawrence to the locker room pic.twitter.com/zW9yH7NiyB
— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhiferNFL) December 5, 2023
It was a strange scene to be sure considering Trevor Lawrence’s value to the Jaguars franchise that he had to walk all that way.
On Wednesday, however, Lawrence revealed exactly why he wasn’t driven to the locker room on a cart.
"Yeah, we have an amazing medical staff that takes care of us in every way that you could imagine,"
Lawrence said with a knowing grin when asked about the bizarre situation on Monday.
Trevor said his wife Amanda had filled him in on all of the controversy his walking and not riding to the locker room had caused.
"We talked about getting a cart and I was going to get a cart and then I’m standing there, you know? "But I was already there, and they asked again if I wanted a cart and I’m like, "No, we’re going to make it the whole way there.’ "I didn’t know there were cameras in the tunnel … but no, of course we have carts, we have everything you need."
"We have an amazing medical staff."@Trevorlawrencee on his ankle injury and more. pic.twitter.com/JyMR2hLk74
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) December 6, 2023
Monday night could’ve been a lot worse for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Towards the end of Jacksonville’s defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals, Trevor Lawrence appeared to suffer a scary leg injury.
According to Lawrence’s account, the Jaguars didn’t procure a cart for their franchise player because he himself didn’t think he needed it. And the quarterback laughed about the decision once he realized how long of a walk it was off the field.
No boot for QB Trevor Lawrence at his news conference. pic.twitter.com/myA6356xk1
— Michael DiRocco (@ESPNdirocco) December 6, 2023
Some took to X to ask one specific question: "Why?" Another fan exclaimed: "Get your franchise quarterback a cart! They got my man walking a quarter mile back to the locker room," a separate user remarked.
It was also suggested on social media that Lawrence — who went 22-for-29 for 258 yards and two touchdowns prior to the injury — may have "refused a cart."
An officer has to also help Lawrence to the locker room pic.twitter.com/zW9yH7NiyB
Lawrence, 24, suffered the injury in the fourth quarter, when Jaguars left tackle Walker Little stepped on his ankle after being pushed back.
Beathard drove the team in position for a game-tying field goal to force overtime before the Bengals prevailed.
"It takes the breath away from the guys on the sideline to see him hurting."
The Jaguars drew criticism on social media Monday night when Trevor Lawrence limped up the tunnel to the X-ray room with the aid of two athletic trainers.
Lawrence said Wednesday it was his decision not to use a cart.
“We talked about getting a cart, and I was going to get a cart, and then I"m standing there and I"m already on the sideline at that point, the tunnel"s right there, I just wanted to get off the field, get out of there,"
Lawrence said, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN.
“I didn"t know what was going on with my ankle, and I felt like I could get off [the field]." And then once I got in there [the hallway], I"m like, ‘This is a pretty long walk." They asked again if I wanted a cart. I"m like, ‘No, we"re going to make it the whole way there.'"
“We have everything we need, and I was the one that that didn"t choose to take [a cart] so you guys put that on me," Lawrence said. “I"m really just taking it one day at a time,"
Lawrence said.
Trevor Lawrence wanted to make something perfectly clear: The team did have a cart available to take him off the field after he injured his right ankle against Cincinnati on Monday night.
Lawrence said Wednesday he was pretty close to the tunnel entrance and felt like it would be quicker for him to walk with some help to the EverBank Stadium locker room and X-ray facility than to wait for the cart to maneuver its way through the extra equipment to get to him.
The television footage of Lawrence, with people under each arm assisting him, walking in the tunnel and hallway of EverBank Stadium has drawn criticism on social media, television and radio. Jaguars’ punter Logan Cooke defended the team on social media by going after one of the more notable critics.
Lawrence found it ludicrous that people would actually think the Jaguars wouldn"t have a cart available for an injured player.
Lawrence said Wednesday his right ankle feels much better than he anticipated it would two days after suffering a high ankle sprain.
“I"m really just taking it one day at a time,"
Lawrence said.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes started the 2022 AFC Championship Game against the Bengals eight days after he suffered that injury against the Jaguars in a divisional playoff game.
It"s a bit of a different situation for Lawrence because the Jaguars won"t have their best pass-catcher (receiver Christian Kirk is out with a groin injury) and also could be starting their third left tackle if Little (hamstring) is unable to play.
“I don"t want to compare two injuries,"
Coach Doug Pederson said. Pederson said Lawrence won"t play unless there"s no chance, he could do any further damage to his right ankle.
“It"s our job to protect those players and make sure [putting them back on the field] is not at the cost of winning a football game,"
Pederson said.
Backup quarterback C.J. Beathard, who would start against the Browns if Lawrence was unable to play, was limited in practice Wednesday because of an injury to his left (non-throwing shoulder).
There"s a really good explanation for why Trevor Lawrence didn"t use a cart after he injured his ankle during ‘MNF" … ICYMI, the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback suffered a high-ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of their 34-31 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night.
“I"m already on the sideline at that point — the tunnel"s right there — I just want to get off the field, get out of there,"
Lawrence said. I was like, ‘Hey, you"re good, just don"t bring [the cart] out.
“They asked again if I wanted a cart, I"m like, ‘No, we"re going to make it the whole way,'"
Lawrence said.
Maybe that was dumb. Maybe I should"ve taken one.
Lawrence was seen without a walking boot on Wednesday, and there appears to be at least a modicum of optimism he might be able to suit for the Browns game this Sunday.
Trevor Lawrence has regret after refusing cart: Maybe I should have taken one. https://t.co/jO4iJzyw9w
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 6, 2023
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence appeared to suffer a serious injury after his ankle was stepped on by offensive lineman Walker Little and he was bent backward.
The quarterback obviously couldn’t put weight on his right foot, yet a curious decision was made not to bring out a cart to drive him back to the locker room for an X-ray exam.
Watching the video of this agonizing trek, many fans wanted to know why a cart wasn’t used to transport Lawrence.
The most likely explanation is that Lawrence refused to ride a cart back to the locker room and insisted on walking.
Fans reacted as follows:
If you think about it, this is crazy! Dude might have hurt himself worse by walking off the field. He did it for pride which I understand but in hindsight he should have taken the cart. As fans we should never question these players toughness.
— OG R-Tee⏰ (@arturiusjohnson) December 6, 2023
Have confirmed that the #Jaguars actually have function carts on premises?
— TheBSMachine (@TheBSMachine01) December 6, 2023
He is trying to protect the medical staff. He is also fine and will play Sunday. Confirmed
— GI-JoE (@GI_JoeK) December 6, 2023
