REPORT: Hightower Suffers Sprained MCL, Return Unknown But Not Serious

Breer: Hightower with MCL sprain

DanishPatFan said:

1. 
   Albert Breer ✔ @AlbertBreer
   Per source, Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain last night in Denver.
   
   How much time is that if it is a sprain ??

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Similar to Amendola I'd guess.

so is MCl sprain different than an MCL tear?

So he should be back? Shouldn't really need him rest of regular season if he can't play in Houston.

Whew! Some [relatively] good news.

I'd argue that HT is just as important to this defense as Jamie.

Just come back healthy....

TommyBrady12 said:

so is MCl sprain different than an MCL tear?

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No. They're the same thing.

robertweathers said:

I'd argue that HT is just as important to this defense as Jamie.

Just come back healthy....

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Id argue if Hightower never gets hurt, Anderson doesn't score on those TD runs.

Run defense went to poop once he left.

Based off this it looks like most players return from an MCL sprain in 3 or less week:MCL Sprain - Questionable To Start

Froob said:

So he should be back? Shouldn't really need him rest of regular season if he can't play in Houston.

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Usually it is a 2-4 week type of injury. It depends on how bad it is. In today's NFL, it isn't all that uncommon for a player to come back after missing only one game.

McL is 6 weeks and acl is a year.

I don't give two flying ****s about regular season anymore.

As long as that playoff run is healthy

I forget the year but Mayo had a nasty MCL sprain and it took him 2-3 games to get back.

festy1986 said:

McL is 6 weeks and acl is a year.

I don't give two flying ****s about regular season anymore.

As long as that playoff run is healthy

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It is six weeks for a severe MCL sprain. If it is mild, Hightower could be back for the Houston game or the game after that.

That actually very encouraging! Let's assume he's out the six weeks, though I hope it isn't severe based on the fact that he actually came back out of the locker room, he would still be ready for the first playoff game assuming a first round bye.

A return for @NYJ would be nice

MCL's comes in 3 degrees, with scalating severity. The worse (3rd degree) comes (usually) with a ACL tear. It doesn't seem to be case, and it would take some months to heal.

The 2 degree takes from 2 to 4 weeks to heal. I would bet this is the case, as the word used was "sprain" not "tear".

The 1st degree is relatively simple, it takes up to 2 weeks to heal.

Great news overall.

We don't even have anyone left who is good offensively and while we need HFA, should be able to give him 4 weeks if needed.

Don't we need to know the severity to know what the news is here? A torn MCL isn't automatically good news...

robertweathers said:

I forget the year but Mayo had a nasty MCL sprain and it took him 2-3 games to get back.

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On the other hand, Bruschi used to get some awful contortions that looked career ending but came back the next play like he was Gumby.

turkeyneck said:

On the other hand, Bruschi used to get some awful contortions that looked career ending but came back the next play like he was Gumby.

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Yeah but Bruschi was also . . . well . . . Bruschi. LOL