NFL fans had to witness an event that has become all too familiar in the last few years. On Sunday, Saints wide receiver Chris Olave lay motionless on the field after getting hit hard by two Panthers defenders.
It was later revealed that Olave had suffered a concussion and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Unfortunately, that was his fourth concussion since joining the NFL in 2022 and his fifth between his time in the league and college football.
New Orleans has announced that it will place Olave on injured reserve. This means he will miss at least four games, but reports indicate that he will likely be out for the rest of the season.
#Saints WR Chris Olave, who was ruled out for Sunday and is seeking opinions of experts on his concussion, is expected to be placed on Injured Reserve, sources say.
The move should be official later today. He’s out at least four games. pic.twitter.com/Frw4ppcby2
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 9, 2024
A lot of support is now coming in for Olave in this difficult time, who, after so many head injuries, many think should consider retirement, similar to Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Hope he is okay.
Worried about the number of concussions he’s had.
— Matt Owen (@ProfessorO_NFL) November 9, 2024
Get well young man.
— Arlin (@Arlin4US) November 9, 2024
Get well soon bro
Hope he takes time to get fully healthy, hard thing is it’s just hard to prevent these injuries moving forward in football— Shruti Pandey 🇮🇳 (@trishu2325) November 9, 2024
Given the frequency of concussions in his young career and the direction of the Saints this season it’s hard to blame him
Hope he takes time to get fully healthy, hard thing is it’s just hard to prevent these injuries moving forward in football 🤷🏽♂️
— Sebastian Fearon DPT, CSCS, OCS (@TheDegenDoc) November 9, 2024
However, there has been no direct word from Olave on whether the wide receiver is considering retirement.
It’s also worth noting that Olave is still on his rookie contract and has only made a career earnings of $15.9 million, which is still a lot, but if he were to earn a second contract, Olave could be one of the highest-paid receivers.
Many on Social Media Blame Derek Carr For Chris Olave’s Injury
Quickly after the injury, social media immediately started pointing the finger at quarterback Derek Carr.
The throw that caused Olave’s concussion has largely been viewed as a “hospital pass” that put the receiver in a very compromising position.
Suicide ball by Derek Carr. One of the most overrated quarterbacks in NFL history. Can’t wait until his brother starts saying Derek should win MVP because of the situation he is managing on the Saints.
— Arpan (@arpan_on_BC) November 9, 2024
Derek Carr should be charged for attempted murder https://t.co/pIWMMCZI2J
— ILML (@Laaattimore) November 9, 2024
I wonder if Carr feels even an ounce of remorse for this https://t.co/M0y14lhA3f
— New Orleans sports are cursed (@rhymen0ceros) November 9, 2024
Of course, it’s not as if Carr is going out there every play trying to hurt his own teammates; rather, he made a bad decision on the throw.
