First off, I'm on record with praising Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez for sticking to his principles and not resorting to cheating when it came to rehabbing from injuries the last two years. While players like Rodney Harrison are seemingly rewarded for blatantly violating NFL rules and cheating to win games by using Human Growth Hormones (HGH), Gonzo chose rehab on the straight and narrow.
Personally, I respect that.
However, the knock on Gonzo is that his body simply is not tough enough for the rigors of NFL life. Knee injures and other alignments have cost Gonzo two full seasons, and if one were to objectively evaluate his value since being drafted in the first round in 2007, you'd have to say he's a disappointment. He simply cannot stay healthy, and in the coldhearted business of pro football, injured players are useless players.
Thus, it's very disappointing to hear that, once again, Gonzo is hurt. This time it's a hamstring. He did not practice yesterday, and his availability for Friday night against the Redskins is uncertain.
If you follow Phil Wilson on Twitter, you know this latest setback for Gonzo has him annoyed as well. Also held out of practice yesterday was Austin Collie, but it was not for concussion-related issues. His knee is bothering him, and the rest seems precautionary.
Perhaps the same caution is the reason Gonzo is sitting. Who knows. What we do know is Gonzalez must stay healthy for the entire 2011 season. He cannot miss games. If he does, his career in the NFL is likely over.