Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy said the Kansas City Chiefs training staff acted in an “unprofessional” manner when tending to him for an eye injury he sustained during a Week 1 game at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 5.
During an episode of his podcast “McCoy & Van Noy,” Van Noy said he sustained a fractured orbital bone and needed to see an ophthalmologist but was left waiting in the locker room.
“I was disappointed in the way the training staff of the Chiefs handled the situation. When you get hurt, especially something that could be serious like mine was, you’re supposed to rely on the (home) team’s training staff or their doctors,” he said. “They took an entire quarter to get down to talk to me in the locker room, which to me is unacceptable. Because then you start thinking, ‘What if I was trying to go back in the game? What if I was really, really hurt?’”
Van Noy added that a doctor or “the friend of the doctor” that assessed him “was in there double cup fisted Styrofoam cups like everything was good” and pointed out that Chiefs players gave their training staff an F when grading for the NFL Players Association team-by-team report cards in February.
“I understand how Kansas City — the players — have given that training room an F because with my experience I would have probably after that gave them an F, too.”
On Friday, Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder explained his treatment of Van Noy. When Van Noy went down, Burkholder went onto the field because he thought “he had a head or neck injury.” After the physician evaluated Van Noy, Burkholder called the ophthalmologist to come to the locker room. According to Burkholder, the Chiefs have an ophthalmologist in the stands “as a courtesy for both teams” even though it’s not mandated by the NFL or NFLPA.
“We made the phone call up into the stands and got the ophthalmologist down to the locker room in 12 minutes,” Burkholder said. “I’m sorry that he was upset. I think we’ve worked it out with the Ravens through Coach (Andy Reid) and I. Both organizations respect the process.”
The Chiefs finished 31st overall ahead of only the Washington Commanders in the graded rankings. The Ravens gave their training staff a B- and finished 15th overall.
NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell called the situation “unfortunate.” He added that the NFLPA made “the necessary parties aware of how we’ve got to improve.”
“Thank God for Kyle’s situation, it wasn’t worse,” he said. “But here we are with the first game of the season. We’ve got many more games to play. We just can’t have that.”
According to a league spokesperson, the NFL has reviewed the case with each team’s medical staffs “and are comfortable he received appropriate care.”
“It’s disappointing the NFLPA would publicize unsupported conclusions without attempting to understand the facts,” the spokesperson told The Athletic.
John Harbaugh said Wednesday that Van Noy hadn’t spoken to him about the situation but the linebacker’s comments were sent to him.
“I don’t know what happened or didn’t happen. I have respect for everybody involved,” Harbaugh said. “I have respect for medical people everywhere in the league, of course. Our place, Kansas City, every place in the league I have respect for. I have the utmost respect for the players, certainly Kyle Van Noy. He’s my guy. I love him. This is one of these guys who competes and fights and does everything he can to be the best player he can.”
Van Noy, a veteran who is playing his 11th season in the league, said he didn’t want a response from the Chiefs but did express his disappointment in how the situation unfolded.
“As a player, people have that expectation of you being professional, handling business. In a time of need, I wanted that from them, and I felt like I didn’t get it. Then you get into, did they take their time because I’m a Ravens player? … I don’t think it was that, but at the same time I don’t want them to come out and apologize.”
After the news broke, Van Noy was approached by reporters in the team’s locker room but he declined to speak.
(Photo: Chris Unger / Getty Images)
