Watkins: Jay Ratliff is rehabbing in two places

Jay Ratliff is rehabbing in two places

October, 8, 2013

By Calvin Watkins | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Ratliff is eligible to come off the PUP list on Monday, Oct. 14.

Ratliff is rehabbing from a sports hernia surgery at two different places, Valley Ranch with the team trainers and an undisclosed location. Coach Jason Garrett said Ratliff received permission to do this.

Considering the issues Ratliff had with the Cowboys' strength and conditioning staff, it's unclear if he'll be activated next week. If Ratliff isn't activated, the Cowboys have three weeks to evaluate him in practice before making a final decision on his playing status. Ratliff can remain on the PUP for up to 12 weeks and if he's not activated by that point, he's ineligible to play this season.

Ratliff has rarely been seen by reporters during open periods of practice and during locker room access.

"He's been on PUP and first time he’s eligible is next week so we feel like he’s making progress," Garrett said, "and we’ll just see how he does as he gets closer to doing some more football type movements."

In the last two weeks the Cowboys' pass rush has become an issue, with the team getting just one sack and a handful of quarterback pressures. There was a thought the Cowboys miss Ratliff's presence up the middle against the run and of course in attacking the passer. The Cowboys are minus two starting defensive linemen, Anthony Spencer (microfracture surgery) and Ratliff.

The Cowboys have moved backup players, George Selvie, Nick Hayden, into starting roles with Spencer and Ratliff out.

"Well, Ratliff and Spencer are arguably two of our better players on defense and difference-making players up front and have been for a number of years," Garrett said. "But the fact is they’re not there and you have to live in the reality of these are the guys we have. We feel good about how these backup players have come in and emerged as starters, guys we’ve gotten off the street emerged as viable backup type contributors for us. We have to keep helping those guys get better and take advantage of their opportunity."

The two places he is rehabbing is his wallet and recliner.

What a joke.

Smart guy. Getting paid and not doing crap.

This is the exact sort of guy you need off your team.

Genghis Khan said:

This is the exact sort of guy you need off your team.

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I am starting to think there is a lot more to this guy than has been disclosed.

He's not playing. He's got some sort of beef with the team trainers/physicians.

He's allowed to do what he wants. It's like he's not even a member of the team that is preparing to return.

This is sometimes what I have done with people that have workman's compensation claims. Pay them until they can go away and let the lawyers hash it out later.

Iamtdg said:

Jay Ratliff is rehabbing in two places

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His vagina, and fuck him.

Yeah but that 2008 season he gave us was really good.

boozeman said:

I am starting to think there is a lot more to this guy than has been disclosed.

He's not playing. He's got some sort of beef with the team trainers/physicians.

He's allowed to do what he wants. It's like he's not even a member of the team that is preparing to return.

This is sometimes what I have done with people that have workman's compensation claims. Pay them until they can go away and let the lawyers hash it out later.

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I agree something weird definitely seems like it is going on. Hell he also had that poorly timed DUI (ok true there are no well placed DUIs but you guys know what I mean) and on top of that almost kicking the owner's ass.

Something isn't adding up.

But if it's true that they are basically putting him on ice, why would they count on him all offseason?

It's just strange.

Maybe the "counting on him" was a fabrication, and they just felt comfortable with what they had.

And by they I mean Jerry since it was clear that some on the staff wanted Sharif Floyd.

Jerry Jones: I don’t know where things stand with Jay Ratliff; ‘I don’t know that anybody knows’
By Jon Machota
jmachota@dallasnews.com
10:06 am on October 9, 2013 |


Jay Ratliff is eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list next week but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be joining his teammates on the field.

Asked Wednesday morning for an update on Ratliff, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones had very little insight on the situation.

“I don’t know,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “I don’t know that he knows. I don’t know that anybody knows. He’s beginning to work through on what we all hope is a secure injury area that has hopefully healed. I don’t know that. I can’t speak to that. I don’t know that anybody does. We will painstakingly go slow here and try to work him back in.”

The 32-year-old defensive tackle was placed on the PUP list in August because of groin and hamstring injuries. One of the reasons it’s difficult for the Cowboys to know exactly where Ratliff stands is because he has done most of his rehab work away from the team’s Valley Ranch practice facility.

Ratliff injured his groin in a game on Nov. 18 and hasn’t played since. He had sports hernia surgery in December and suffered a setback while running the team’s conditioning test before the start of training camp in July.
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Bullshit.

This is code for my legal counsel is telling me to stay out of it.

Genghis Khan said:

But if it's true that they are basically putting him on ice, why would they count on him all offseason?

It's just strange.

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Not really. If say, the team medically cleared him for the conditioning test...and it was a bad clearance...he could have a grievance...could be suing the doctor for medical malpractice. A number of things.

Perhaps even up to the point of camp, they felt his hernia surgery was good, and felt they could count on him. This hernia thing has been going on for a really really long time.

Ratliff Update

The Cowboys are holding out hope Jay Ratliff will be on the field at some point this year, but there’s still no set date for the defensive tackle’s return.

Ratliff may not be ready to play when he’s eligible to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list next week. He’s also not rehabbing with the Cowboys, according to executive vice president Stephen Jones.

Jones told 105.3 FM "The Fan" that Ratliff has “had his frustrations in terms of his medical situation,” and the Cowboys gave him the opportunity to explore different avenues in his rehab, though the team didn’t prefer it.

“This is rare, but we felt like if it mentally helped him and gave him a better chance to get back to where he thinks he needs to be, we were up for him doing that,” Jones said. “As far as knowing where he is, we get reports daily and understand how he’s progressing, so we’re aware of what’s going on.”

Ratliff only played in six games last season before getting sports hernia surgery at the end of the year. He injured his hamstring during the conditioning test at the beginning of training camp this year and hasn’t played since.

“Any time you reward a player, you hope he plays at a high level,” Jones said. “Any time it doesn’t work out, it’s frustrating, obviously. But that’s a part of the business we’re in.

“I’m sure Jay wishes it were different. I know we wish it was different. We could use him, but that’s not the way it is.”

- Rowan Kavner

I bet Jay is loving life right now.

Cashing a huge paycheck and "rehabbing" with his own guys.

Sources: Cowboys won't rush Ratliff return

October, 11, 2013
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


IRVING, Texas -- Jay Ratliff can be activated off the physically unable to perform list after Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins, but the Dallas Cowboys will not rush their defensive tackle back on the field.




RatliffAccording to sources, the Cowboys do not anticipate activating Ratliff next week, and the team needs to see firsthand what kind of condition he is in. Ratliff suffered a hamstring injury in the team's conditioning test in Oxnard, Calif., in July and also spent training camp continuing his rehab from sports-hernia surgery last December.

Coach Jason Garrett said it is "hard to determine" whether Ratliff is days or weeks away from returning to the field.

Since the season started, Ratliff has done most of his rehab outside the team's Valley Ranch complex. He did most of his rehab away from the team in the offseason and was not ready for the opening of training camp. In August, Ratliff alluded to tension with the training staff in his only comments of the summer.

The Cowboys have as early as Monday or as late as Nov. 4 to activate Ratliff off PUP. Once they do that, they have another three weeks during which they can add him to the 53-man roster, keep him out for the season, or cut him.

"Hopefully he's making more and more progress to get closer to practicing," Garrett said. "He hasn't practiced football in a little while. The first step is to get back on the practice field and see how he does from there."

Two years ago, linebacker Bruce Carter, a rookie at the time, was activated off PUP and added to the active roster in his first week back from a knee injury he suffered at North Carolina.

Ratliff's age (32) and recent injury history (he missed 10 games last season with ankle and sports-hernia injuries) make it virtually impossible for the Cowboys to expect him to play in the first week he is eligible, Oct. 20 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The latest game in which Ratliff could return is Nov. 28, Thanksgiving, against the Oakland Raiders.

boozeman said:

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Yet, the other day Jerry said no one knew how he was progressing or how he was.

Iamtdg said:

Yet, the other day Jerry said no one knew how he was progressing or how he was.

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Typical.

At any given time, you can see Jerry, Stephen and Garrett contradict each other.

Honestly I couldn't care less if Ratliff every plays another down for the Cowboys but I do find it funny that they are being held hostage by a washed up has been.

1bigfan13 said:

Honestly I couldn't care less if Ratliff every plays another down for the Cowboys but I do find it funny that they are being held hostage by a washed up has been.

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It is kind of comical to be considered held hostage when you blindfold yourself, tie your own hands behind your back, gag yourself and then hand the guy a handgun.