HC Jonathan Gannon on injury info: 'There's not a lot of good answers all the time'

USA Today

04-06-2025

HC Jonathan Gannon on injury info: 'There's not a lot of good answers all the time' Gannon speaks about the non-linear nature of recovery time from injuries
With voluntary OTAs beginning last week and ending this week prior to next week's mandatory minicamp, there are several players in varying degrees of participation that ended the 2024 season on injured reserve.
The group includes edge rusher BJ Ojulari, who suffered a torn ACL early in training camp last summer; right tackle Jonah Williams, whose season was limited to six games because of two injuries to his right knee; and defensive linemen Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols.
Jones played only three games because of a triceps injury, while a neck injury limited Nichols to playing six games.
Prior to the Cardinals' first practice on May 28, head coach Jonathan Gannon was asked specifically about Ojulari and Williams. He said, 'I think everyone's kind of in their own category, truthfully. So I'll just put it out there. We'll talk about injuries Week 1, but I'm not going to get into everybody case by case, but everyone is working hard.
'If they're not fully ready to go, they're doing a good job in there to try to get themselves ready to go. So he (Ojulari) falls in that bucket.'
Ojulari, Williams and Nichols were not on the field that day. This week, Williams was at practice Tuesday, while Nichols and Jones were not, as well as Ojulari.
It is important to note that only one of three OTAs each week are open to the media, so it is not known who was on the field or who wasn't the other days.
Rookie defensive lineman Walter Nolen wasn't on the field May 28, and prior to Wednesday's work, Gannon was asked if that absence was because of injury or the fact Nolen is still unsigned. Gannon said 'Neither,' and Nolen did participate that day, while also being present after the first OTA last week.
When Gannon was then asked if they are moving slower with Williams because it was two injuries he suffered last season, the coach discussed what can be difficult about supplying injury information. He said, 'With all our guys, we go at the appropriate pace. Truthfully, like there's not a lot of good answers all the time for you guys from me. 'He's doing great.' What does that mean? He was doing great two days ago but then yesterday didn't have a setback -- I don't want to use that word -- but it's not linear, it doesn't just go great in a rehab. If you remember the first time we got here, the hot topic was Kyler (Murray) coming back from a knee. I've been around guys that have knees. Here's the timetable, here's what he has to do for his position, all that. It's not a linear progression of 'I'm just doing great and I'm on the timeline the doc says and the training room says and this is when I can go out and play football.' It doesn't work like that.
"I trust our process on how we do things. You'll see Jonah out there today, but that's just the step we're taking for return to play. Everybody is different. What you guys see on the practice field --'Oh maybe he's getting closer' -- and he might not even be closer than a guy you don't even see out there. That's truthful."
Most important, Gannon said, is that players are anxious to be back on the field as soon as possible.
"So they are doing everything they can to get out there and be healthy and be with their teammates and play football," Gannon said. "I never question that. And they know from our standpoint we're not going to put them out there until they are ready to go 100 percent physically."
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