ASHBURN — Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy will remain out from practice until he feels “100%” comfortable with his surgically repaired right leg, coach Jay Gruden said Sunday. Gruden even floated the possibility of McCoy missing regular-season games, though added there is no timetable for the veteran’s recovery.
McCoy has yet to play this preseason and has not practiced in team drills since Aug.11.
The 32-year-old is still feeling discomfort in his leg — eight months since breaking his leg on “Monday Night Football” against the Philadelphia Eagles. The main issue: McCoy hasn’t been able to fully push off his right leg when passing.
Gruden again acknowledged the Redskins might have rushed McCoy back from injury too soon last year. Initially, Washington had hoped McCoy would potentially be available for the playoffs, if the Redskins had qualified for them. The Redskins held off putting McCoy on injured reserve, with Gruden saying McCoy could return in four weeks.
“He probably rushed back, we probably rushed him back a little bit too quick and it didn’t have a chance to heal, so they had to go back in (for surgery) a little bit,” said Gruden, who made similar comments at the owners meetings in March. “But that was nobody’s fault there. That was just a fluke type deal that something else happened.
“So hopefully we’ll get him right.”
McCoy has had three leg surgeries since breaking his leg.
In a brief chat with reporters, McCoy revealed he visited noted foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson about his leg during training camp. He denied having a setback, but remains frustrated the injury has kept him sidelined. Until last week, McCoy had practiced throughout training camp.
McCoy’s inability to fully recover, however, has only drawn more scrutiny aimed at the Redskins’ medical staff.
Left tackle Trent Williams has continued to hold out from Washington over his displeasure with the team’s doctors. The seven-time Pro Bowler is upset with the way the team’s doctors handled the diagnosis of a benign tumor on his scalp. Former Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall said on the NFL Network that Williams wants the staff fired, or else he won’t return to the team.
Besides Williams, former safety Su’a Cravens blasted the Redskins in a series of tweets last week — accusing them of mishandling injuries and withholding information. Cravens, who the Redskins shut down in September 2018 after the safety voluntarily left the team, has filed a non-injury grievance against Washington to reclaim his 2017 salary.
The Redskins, of course, have been decimated with injuries over the last two seasons. Fans have blamed Washington’s medical staff for that, as well as the fact some players have suffered setbacks amid recovery.
In addition to McCoy, quarterback Alex Smith and running back Derrius Guice each suffered post-op infections following their respective injuries. Smith broke his tibia and fibula in November, while Guice tore his ACL in August 2018.
On Sunday, Gruden defended Washington’s medical staff.
“I have faith in the trainers and the doctors,” Gruden said. “That’s all you can do and then the players have to buy in and do what they have to do to get ready. Some of these injuries take time; there’s no rhyme or reason. Look around the league, some ankle sprains last a week, some last six weeks, some last eight weeks and then it could be a different degree. … So, it’s up to the players to do the work, the doctors to give them the direction, and the trainers to work them. And I feel like we have a good enough staff to do that.
“We just have had different types of injuries that some have lasted longer than others. We’ve had a lot of guys that have had injuries that have come back quickly that don’t get talked about. So there is some good also.”
Gruden has said McCoy won’t be a consideration in the Redskins’ quarterback competition until the quarterback gets healthy.
In the meantime, McCoy is focused on his rehab. Gruden said he doesn’t anticipate McCoy being out “too long.”
“He’s working hard, man,” Gruden said. “Colt is a hard worker and he’ll do whatever he can to get right. We’ve just got to get it right first.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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