Ali Marpet Talks “Surgeries”
July 6th, 2021
Sage JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman often talks about how fortunate the Bucs have been with injuries on their offensive line for several years dating back to the Dirk Koetter regime.
Joe was reminded of this listening to left guard Ali Marpet talking recently in an interview with Division III Hobart University athletics, where Marpet is a living legend.
He was asked about success avoiding injuries through his Bucs career, missing just nine games through six seasons. And Marpet disagreed with the entire premise.
Playing hurt is the norm every season, Marpet said. And he added that it’s not like he has missed grinding through offseason “surgeries” and months of rehab during the season of getting your body right, February through July.
Joe remembers the surprise revelation in November of last year, when Bucco Bruce Arians said Marpet had hip surgery following the 2019 season.
Marpet using the plural, “surgeries,” caught Joe by surprise. Joe doesn’t recall Marpet having more than one surgery.
Regardless, the chatter was a reminder that the Bucs have been more fortunate than most when it comes to their opening day starting five on their offensive lines.
Hopefully, that run will continue.
July 6th, 2021 at 10:21 am
Offensive linemen earn every penny they make and should always be among highest paid players –
some doctors estimated Mike Webster , perhaps the greatest center in NFL history, had been in the equivalent of “25,000 automobile crashes” in over 25 years of playing football at the high school, college and professional levels. Webster had a very difficult time towards the end of his life..
Wishing continued health and success to Marpet and all the Bucs.
July 6th, 2021 at 10:36 am
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that many players have injury issues to deal with in the off-season……these guys get their bodies beat up and many endure pain from it the rest of their lives…..I’ll never complain about a player wanting to go for the most money he can….because it often doesn’t last long.
July 6th, 2021 at 11:05 am
With Ali’s love for playing the ukulele, I could see him riding off into the sunset after this season if Bucs win it again
July 6th, 2021 at 5:36 pm
If you ask a player who didn’t make the NFL if they would be willing to have physical or mental problems later in order to be able to play the game they love in the NFL, you are likely to hear them say they would. Not saying it’s wise, but it’s that important to them.
July 6th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
It’s Hobart College