The bulk of the NFL has injury concerns over Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Payton Wilson. His college coaches feel differently. Appearing on 93.7 The Fan Monday afternoon, NC State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson refuted the notion that Wilson is a one-contract player whose body will fall apart due to injuries. Gibson downplayed worry over his knee, saying it was never an issue while he coached Wilson.
“Those knee injuries were early,” he told hosts Chris Mueller and Andrew Fillipponi. “Really before I ever got to Raleigh. So the last five years I’ve been here, he has never had an issue with the knee. Don’t bet against him. And if I was a betting man and there was a line in Vegas whether he would only play one contract, I would not take that bet. I think this guy’s an eight- to 10-year pro, in my opinion.”
Gibson was responding to an Ian Rapoport comment that 22 teams, sharing medical information with one another, believe Wilson is only a one-contract player whose knees will give out within five years.
Wilson twice tore his ACL, both to his right knee. The first occurred his senior year of high school, his second in his first season at NC State. Since then, he hasn’t missed time because of knee problems and he was healthy his last two seasons, finishing 2023 as the ACC tackles leader and 10th in college football.
Problematic shoulders were also a red flag, Wilson undergoing three surgeries, all occurring in 2021. Rapoport alluded to an issue during one of the surgeries but Gibson, as our Dr. Melanie Friedlander pointed out yesterday, noted that the complications weren’t long-term issues.
“He got an infection,” Gibson said, explaining it was performed by the well-respected Dr. James Andrews. “So it had nothing to do with the surgery.”
Gibson noted that Wilson even wanted to get back onto the practice field right away, though coaches wouldn’t allow him out there until he was fully healthy. Wilson is regarded as one of the toughest players not just physically but mentally, overcoming injury after injury to become one of college football’s best linebackers.
Dr. Friedlander offered a positive report on Wilson’s medical history, noting there’s nothing from preventing Wilson from playing years in the league. Predicting his future health is impossible but based on the last two years, he should have a chance at beating those doubter’s odds.
