Blood disorder ends DE’s year
Vinny Curry’s season is over, but his life was saved.
The Jets pass-rusher was diagnosed by team doctors in July with a rare blood disorder that required the removal of his spleen, and complications during the recovery process will require him to avoid football activities until at least late November, Curry revealed Wednesday on social media.
“While I am incredibly disappointed that I will not be able to play with my teammates this year, I am thankful that the doctors identified my condition in time,” Curry wrote, along with a note to “please keep me and my family in prayer.”
“They have in- formed me that I am expected to make a full recovery and return to the field next season.”
Signed in March to a one-year contract with a guaranteed base salary of $1.075 million, Curry was a lim- ited participant in some spring practices before receiving his diagnosis. The Neptune, N.J., native landed on the non-football injury list on the first day of training camp and immediately was ruled out for the regular-season opener.
“[Doctors] ... projected me to return to the field in the middle of September,” Curry said. “During my recovery, blood clots formed and forced me to go on blood thinners, preventing me from having physical contact for the next 3-6 months.”
The Jets moved Curry, 33, to the reserve list Tuesday, officially ending his season. The situation remained a mystery for another 24 hours.
“We were blessed that we were able to find some things that were going unnoticed,” head coach Robert Saleh said.
Curry was dressed in a Jetsbranded top (not in uniform) Wednesday as he observed from the sideline during a joint practice against the Eagles, for whom he tallied 30 sacks over eight seasons and was a Super Bowl LII starter. When Eagles defensive lineman Javon Hargrave had a sack during the two-minute drill, he trashtalked the Jets’ sideline.
“Vinny Curry was here last year,” Hargrave said of his former teammate, “and I was just playing with him.”
Less than an hour after the interaction, Curry made his announcement.
“I am so grateful to all those who have reached out to me on social media, and in person,” Curry wrote. “I can promise them all that I will be back stronger and more determined than ever.”
What does it mean on the field for the Jets? Bad things happen in threes.
Three of the four veteran free agents added to the defensive front-seven — to bolster the pass rush, improve pass coverage of tight ends and make things easier inside for rising star Quinnen Williams — will miss most or all of the season.
First, dominant edge-rusher Carl Lawson suffered a season-ending torn Achilles. Then inside linebacker Jarrad Davis suffered an ankle injury that will keep him out for about two months. Now Curry is finished. Only Sheldon Rankins remains.
“He’s been so productive in his career,” Saleh said of Curry. “[Losing] his leadership, first and foremost, and just his overall energy and the positivity that he brings, it hurts.”
So, with general manager Joe Douglas already in the market for a pass-rusher after losing Lawson, the Jets are staring at an even bigger void.
“It’s always easy to play the fictional game of, ‘Let’s go get somebody,’ ” Saleh said. “The reality is they’re few and far between in terms of what’s available.”
Messages from current and former teammates immediately poured in on Curry’s social media account.
“Ain’t nothing you can’t handle big homie,” wrote Russell Shepard, who played with Curry on the Buccaneers before finishing his own career with the Giants.
Added Jets teammate John Franklin-Myers, “Miss you out there bruh, we got you tho.”