Ex-Crimson Tide OL Anthony Steen: Playing hurt is a problem at Alabama
In 2013, Anthony Steen was the lone senior on Alabama’s offensive line. He was named second-team all-SEC and earned the conference’s offensive lineman of the week honors against Kentucky.
When Steen, now with the Miami Dolphins, caught up with The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad, he talked about dealing with injuries that season. He said players continuing to play when they shouldn’t is a problem in Tuscaloosa:
But Steen, who is known as a tough competitor, seems regretful that a required shoulder surgery did not occur until after the conclusion of his final Alabama regular season. Steen suggested he should not have been playing.
“Football, a lot of it is mentally,” Steen said. “If you can work through pain, you can go. But at ‘Bama, that was the problem. A lot of things you went through and you shouldn’t have. You should have stayed off of it. That’s why a lot of guys from Bama are hurt.”
One can expect Nick Saban to be asked about Steen’s comments, as they caught the attention of at least one Alabama reporter.
This, from a very good former Alabama player, is a damning accusation. https://t.co/eCr6zfB5S1
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) November 18, 2016
Update: Steen clarified his comments to Joe Schad.
Here is what Dolphins C Anthony Steen @bamasteen61 wants you to read pic.twitter.com/xWCswC5ad0
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) November 19, 2016