The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a tough start to the season as many anticipated after moving on from a number of their veteran players this offseason. However, one of the players expected to take on a larger role this year has not played and is not expected to play this season due to continued complications from battling COVID-19.
Running back Ryquell Armstead was set to fill some of the void left behind by Leonard Fournette this season, but was among those on the Jaguars that tested positive earlier this season for the virus. While most players in the league that have tested positive have been able to recover fairly quickly, Armstead has been facing a serious battle that has twice caused him to be hospitalized and, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Armstead is not expected to return to the field this season.
Armstead has been hospitalized twice and has suffered from a variety of complications connected to the virus, including significant respiratory issues, and has been hit harder than some expected.
It is the scary reality of the pandemic that even those who are among the world’s best athletes can be hit extremely hard by COVID-19, even if the majority of those who contract it face lesser symptoms or remain asymptomatic. It’s why there was so much discussion about how they could proceed with a regular season and why some college football conferences initially opted out of playing as they wrestled with the complications that can arise, from respiratory issues like Armstead is apparently dealing with to heart conditions like myocarditis.
Schefter’s report offers optimism for Armstead to recover and return to the field next season, but it seems hard to even speculate on that given the length of his battle with the virus and the respiratory issues he’s reportedly dealing with. For now, we can simply wish him the best in his recovery and hope that it can be a full one, without lingering problems for some time.