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Dillon Johnson drawing reaction on social media over decision to play despite knee injury

Sydney Hunte

By Sydney Hunte

Published:

Dillon Johnson’s status for the College Football Playoff National Championship Game was in question after suffering a injury in the Sugar Bowl, but the Washington running back decided to give it a go.

ESPN viewers received further details on the Johnson injury from Molly McGrath, who was working the Huskies’ sideline for the title game Monday night in Houston: he had a ruptured bursa sac in his knee. He actually left after his first carry to be tended to by medical staff:

It might be a relatively uncommon injury, but some research shows that there’s at least one significant figure in football that has suffered it at least once: Peyton Manning. According to the Knoxville News, he experienced it in the 1997 SEC Championship Game against Auburn but was able to play in the Orange Bowl a few weeks later — the article also mentions Joe Montana suffering one in his arm.

That said, Johnson’s ability to play on Monday with his knee injury certainly qualified as “gritty”, as Chris Fowler noted on the ESPN broadcast. And it certainly turned heads across the college football community on social media:

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.

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