The Gambit Sports

The New England Patriots cut defensive tackle Kyle Love two weeks after he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Love had signed a 2-year extension for 3.09 million dollars The loophole the Patriots used to void Love’s contract is: non-football injuries designation.

Love won’t be able to fight this as discrimination. The NFL teams know and cover every aspect of the collective bargaining agreement.

Kyle Love is a good football player who started 25 games since 2010. The Patriots gave him the extension because they knew he was valuable to the team’s run defense. Now that he’s been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, he is no longer able to play the game.

The Canadian Diabetes Association’s definition for Type 2 diabetes is: a condition in which your pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or your body does not properly use the insulin it makes. As a result, glucose (sugar) builds up in your blood instead of being used for energy. 

Now that Love knows his condition, he can control it with proper medication. I understand that since he is a defensive tackle, his condition will affect his ability to maintain his weight. He is 6’1” and weighs 315 pounds. His position depends on his ability to handle double teams from offensive linemen and take on full backs at the point of attack.

It concerns me that a team can cancel a player’s contract due to a medical condition with which players in many other sports have played with and had long careers.

Jay Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2008. During the Chicago Bears games Cutler pricks his finger to make sure his blood sugar levels are at the right level.

Michael Sinclair, a defensive end who was a three-time pro bowler and had 73.5 sacks during his career from 1992 – 2001, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes late in his career.

Kendall Simmons, offensive guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills from 2002 – 2009, is a Type 1.5 (Latent Autoimmune) diabetic didn’t prevent him from playing.

Vince Wolfork, who is the nose tackle for the Patriots, has a foundation (“Living Well Eating Smart Teams Up with the Vince Wolfork Foundation”) that is committed to raising awareness about diabetes because he lost his dad due to diabetes. He will lose a teammate because of his condition.

The U.S. department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health did  a 2010 survey showing that African-Americans are 12 times more likely than whites to get diabetes. I don’t understand how the NFL Players Association allows Diabetes to be on the list of non-football injuries. It is a shame.

At 6’1” and 315 pounds, Love will have to eat better and reduce his weight in order to control his diabetes. It shouldn’t affect his ability to be an effective defensive tackle in the NFL. The Patriots didn’t give him an opportunity to show he can still be effective with the help of the medical staff.

Love was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars for $790 000.

The NFL is a cutthroat business, but occurrences like this remind players they are just property to the owners An NFL player holds out for more money because his contract isn’t guaranteed. The signing bonus is the only aspect that is guaranteed when a player signs.  A team can dump them at any moment.

Do you think it was fair for the Patriots to cut Love?

Enjoy your day!

References:

Yahoo Sports Shutdowm Corner – Doug Farrar

Canadian Diabetes Association 

OMH – US Health Department Website