ProFootballDoc: NFL 'Coach Speak' Shifts Into High Gear

As the NFL regular season arrives, the fake news cycle accelerates, especially as it pertains to injuries and player availability. The misinformation in the preseason was already present. "Coach speak" is now as common as helmets and shoulder pads.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin emphatically declared his star running back's "foot got stepped on" in practice.

After several weeks of missed time Najee Harris revealed it was actually a Lisfranc injury. He even directly contradicted the foot got stepped on story.

The good news is Harris should still be healthy for the Week1 opener versus the Bengals.

More Injury News

The Cowboys owner continues to insist his wide receiver is close and would play if this week were the Super Bowl. That's despite Michael Gallup indicating a month ago that he would not be able to play in the opener.

And Sports Injury Central shares Gallup's opinion. In fact, SIC has indicated that coming off his late ACL tear, one should only expect about half his normal production this season.

Coach Speak Makes Its Way To Seattle

Pete Carroll continues to falsely keep hopes alive that Kenneth Walker III could play next week by saying he was "throwing the football around."

That's a long stretch from performing as a NFL running back. Initially, the Seahawks head coach downplayed his status saying it was just "a little hernia thing". Former NFL head team physicians opined that he would need surgery and that has indeed happened. It is a pipe dream to think Walker would play this quickly versus Russell Wilson and the Broncos.

None of this misdirection is illegal or improper. It is all part of the gamesmanship of the NFL. Fans, fantasy players and gamblers should follow along here all season long to find out the real story of injuries and player availability.