Injuries part of life after NFL

Mike Pouncey has a reputation as a relentless warrior on the football field, but in a few years the Miami Dolphins center could be struggling off of it.

That’s obviously the worst case scenario of what can be the lasting effects of playing professional football with a hip issue, which limits Pouncey’s practice participation on a weekly basis.

After the Dolphins’ 20-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Pouncey revealed that doctors anticipate he’ll need a hip replacement procedure in the next five to 10 years.

“We'll see. I can't predict the future. I'm listening to what a doctor tells me,” said Pouncey, whose performance has been solid, but not spectacular so far this season. “I feel right now, I don't need one. But we'll see.”

The Dolphins are so concerned about Pouncey’s hip that he practices every other day, and this might be the case for the rest of the former Pro Bowler’s career.

But as long as he’s on the field for Sunday’s games most Dolphins fans won’t care.

“I don't have a normal hip,” Pouncey said, explaining his hip issues, which have limited him to 17 games since 2013, and has been surgically repaired at least three times.

Pouncey said he feels better than he has in years, but he acknowledges his hip “always feels tight.”

The sad thing is that Pouncey isn’t unique. In fact, he’s pretty common.

Pouncey’s hip issues are an example of