LeCharles Bentley Almost Died from Staph Infection

Here’s your quick background on the Bentley. He was drafted in ’02 and quickly became a Pro Bowl center with the Saints. By 2006, he was one of the top free agents on the market (Drew Brees was another), and the Browns signed him to a big deal. Given the Browns’ luck, Bentley injured himself on the first play of practice in minicamp! Bentley was out for the year with the knee injury, but then he developed a staph infection that delayed his return by several months and even threatened his life. I had no idea that staph infections, which were pretty prominent on the Browns, could even be fatal. Check out his response on The Monty Show on Sporting News Radio when asked his thoughts when the doctors were talking about amputating his leg:

At that time [getting my leg amputated] was the least of my concerns. It was more of me making it through the night and living. The amputation was possibly the best-case scenario. Purely through the grace of God, I’m here, I’m whole, and I’m ready to play football and be a contributor somewhere at a high level.
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Being able to do the things now that I couldn’t do, little things just like going up and down stairs, for months and months I wasn’t able to do, I just get excited about it. The fact that I’m back running and lifting and cutting and doing all these football-like things — it was like man, I didn’t think I was ever going to be able to do. Two years ago, it was a concern of me being able to walk normal, getting my gait back normal, but here I am now doing these things.

I’m still stunned that staph infections have the potential to kill. That’s crazy to me. It’s nice to see that he’s made a comeback and will be ready to play in the upcoming season — that’s a story I can’t get enough of. As for potential suitors, Bentley responded to the rumor about him going to the Vikings by saying he’s open to any option but surprised the Vikings would have interest in him given how good their line already is. As for the Raiders, he says he’s always liked their colors. Hopefully he can get signed and return to Pro Bowl form. That would be a nice, success story.