Decision to Play Clemson QB on Torn ACL Raises Red Flags

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Players are willing to do anything and everything to help their program win.

No matter what level of sports an athlete plays for, victory can outweigh so many things in the short term. I'm not sure that's the case for Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, but what he did this past Saturday against the University of South Carolina has fans throughout South Carolina buzzing.

According to Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney, the freshman quarterback tore his ACL at practice during the week of the Georgia State game for the Tigers. Staffers weighed the options for Watson, but the young man was cleared to practice and play shortly after. Swinney told reporters, in a nutshell, he was amazed at what the young man could do. He even went as far as calling his prodigy a "mental and genetic freak."

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Watson accounted for four touchdowns in Clemson's 35-17 win over the Gamecocks, but what's troubling about that is he played on a leg that was only supported by a brace that essentially acted as his ACL. Furthermore, Swinney said the brace was so tight that Watson had to leave the game occasionally because his leg would "fall asleep."

Let me share this with you. No win is worth putting an amateur athlete's future in jeopardy. While it's not clear how well Watson is now or if there's been any other damage to that leg, we do know that he will require surgery once the bowl game is over. Whether he plays in that game is yet to be determined. Still, the Tigers put a young man's career in flux just to stop a 5-game losing streak to the Gamecocks.

Photo Courtesy of Anderson Independent-Mail

Two players in recent history have played through knee injuries with the Tigers only to go on to the NFL and not provide the same production for their respective teams. It's not something that you want for your players as they try to play at the next level, but where do you draw the line as a program? Furthermore, how does something like this impact recruiting? If you're a recruit or if you're a parent of a recruit, how do you find comfort in knowing that this program will do something like this just to get a win? I'm not sure you can. In the end, Watson may have said he felt good enough to play and he may have shown signs, but there was no real reason to risk having him out there. The Tigers really had nothing to play for on Saturday except pride.

I may be a Carolina fan, but I think I know talent when I see it and Watson is going to be really good for the next two to three years...if they rehab his leg properly. If not, we'll always look back at November 29, 2014, and continue to question this decision.