Dr. Mark Schlereth -- not really a doctor but the former Denver Broncos lineman -- appeared on ESPN's Mike and Mike on Thursday morning. (By the way, thanks for the Arrowhead Pride mention this morning, Mike and Mike.)
Schlereth has some unique views on Cassel's appendectomy and how the Kansas City Chiefs should proceed.
"He shouldn't play," Schlereth said. "If the NFL is going to fine guys for sneezing on people on accident and brushing by them and eating onions before they play, then the NFL should step up. If health and safety of the players is truly their concern, then they should step up and they should not let the guy play."
Um...OK. I wasn't sure why Schlereth would think the this decision should be made by the league apparently suggesting the Chiefs and their medical staff are incapable of making that decision.
But then he kept talking.
He says, "I've been around the doctoring profession, and you know who pays those doctors? Teams pay those doctors."
"You know how many times I've seen a guy go through a physical and say, 'Hey we can't find out what's wrong.' Then you re-do the physical at the end of the season and they go, 'Ohh, here's the problem, You actually had a hernia.' I've seen that happen I think two or three times during the course of my season. You can't find it during the season when we need you, but as soon as the season ends, 'Aha, look at this. The magical hernia came through!'"
The problem with Schlereth's thinking is that what's good for Matt Cassel is good for the Chiefs. Likewise, what's bad for Matt Cassel is bad for the Chiefs. Why the Chiefs would put him out there, and potentially risk his future with the organization, especially when he's in year two of a six-year contract? I don't know.
I didn't play in the NFL -- Schlereth did -- so I can't say his experiences were wrong or that they don't happen. But putting Cassel at risk -- whether he'd be at risk if he played this weekend is not yet decided -- would be putting the Chiefs at risk.
Why would they do that?