Opinion: Sam Pittman didn’t not say KJ Jefferson had a concussion, either
The vagueness is the point. The second-guessing. The not-knowing.
Coaches have perfected the art of the dodge. The best coaches have, anyway. And Sam Pittman is awfully good at it. His otherwise friendly, sometimes folksy, nature has earned him enough points with Arkansas’ daily media – not exactly known as a shark tank, anyway – that he wasn’t pressed Monday when asked about the status of quarterback KJ Jefferson.
Pittman said after Saturday’s loss to Alabama that Jefferson hit his head. The quarterback didn’t return. Pittman made a point to not say the why Jefferson didn’t return.
Monday, he said Jefferson was suffering “mild symptoms.” When asked a couple questions later by Tom Murphy at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette if that meant Jefferson is in concussion protocol, Pittman gave that coaches’ answer.
“I didn’t say that. Anybody else?”
Super. Fans and media received plenty of updates about Mississippi State’s blitzing, aggressive defense. We learned Will Rogers is – get this – pretty good. We could listen in fondness as Pittman was asked to recall his first win at Arkansas two seasons ago, down at Mississippi State.
But the status of the quarterback? Nah.
It isn’t Pittman’s fault, really. Who would want to divulge information about the health of their most important player? And, let’s be clear, that’s exactly why it was done. Jefferson is, unquestionably, Arkansas’ most important player. Anyone who was wanting him benched after the Alabama game is living in a dream world.
Still, it’s a drag that it’s come to this. Concussions in football are no joke. Heck, consider the NFL the last couple weeks and former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. At some point, public disclosure of such an injury is in the public’s interest. The Dolphins proved a player’s team cannot be trusted to do what’s in the best interest of the player.
It’s hard, if not downright impossible, to imagine that Pittman and his staff would do such a thing at Arkansas. I’d bet my house against it, even.
It’s a shame things like that have to hidden at all. Bad for fans. Bad for teams. Bad for players. Even if I do – we all do – get why.
