Green Bay Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery was a surprise inactive against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, and he revealed on Monday that the illness that kept him out was a result of carrying the sickle cell trait.
A report from Sunday indicated that Montgomery was dealing with a kidney issue, and it was revealed during the broadcast that the former Stanford star discovered blood in his urine. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, doctors told Montgomery that the symptoms were related to the sickle cell trait.
The good news is Montgomery was also told his condition is not career threatening and he could even suit up against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9.
Now that Eddie Lacy is out indefinitely with an ankle injury, Montgomery has become an extremely important piece of Green Bay’s offense. He has 20 receptions and 164 yards over his past two games and has been used out of the backfield quite frequently.
Fortunately, there have been several players in the NFL who have been able to continue their careers despite having the sickle cell trait. There was concern over another player missing a game in Denver earlier this year because of the high altitude, which can lead to sickle cell complications.
