Browns OL Tucker to miss rest of season with illness

[obie7661]

Associated Press
CLEVELAND - Browns right tackle Ryan Tucker will miss the rest of the season because of an undisclosed illness.

Tucker was placed on the non-football illness list Tuesday after missing the second half of Sunday's 30-0 loss against Cincinnati.

Tucker, a team captain, started nine games this year but missed two because of the illness: Oct. 29 against the New York Jets and Nov. 5 at San Diego.

The 31-year-old Tucker wouldn't reveal what the nature of his illness was after returning to the team Nov. 8, saying it was irrelevant. He had said he was back to normal.

Tucker had been Cleveland's steadiest member of an offensive line that has been in constant flux because of injuries and personnel changes in recent years. He made 62 starts over the past four seasons.

The Browns also made a series of other moves.

They placed defensive lineman Ethan Kelley on injured reserve, signed free-agent defensive lineman J'Vonne Parker, signed offensive lineman Rob Smith from the practice squad and signed defensive lineman Alvin Smith to the practice squad.

Kelley injured his knee Sunday against Cincinnati. He appeared in 11 games and had 22 tackles.

Parker was waived at the end of training camp by the Browns and was claimed by Dallas, where he appeared in two games before being waived Nov. 7. He played in four games for the Browns last year.

[SuperBran]

maybe every browns starter will get hurt, they'll bring in some undrafted players who were second string college players, and the team will actually be interesting to watch.

[TigerCoach]

What the heck is this "undisclosed illness" ?? I have a feeling he's going through a nasty divorce.

[The Butler]

What the heck is this "undisclosed illness" ??


I hate rumor as much as the next person, but I have not heard one person speculate what it might be. Is is a virus, some sort of staph infection, what?

[MTown]

Only in Cleveland.

There are active forces in the universe that are preventing the Browns from ever achieving any amount of success. This stuff just doesn't happen to other teams.

[Kamd50]

I hate rumor as much as the next person, but I have not heard one person speculate what it might be. Is is a virus, some sort of staph infection, what?

I don't know why you would hide something like a staph infection or a virus unless it was something terrible like AIDS. TC, you mean to tell me that he would be allowed to miss playing time because of a divorce while the rest of the world has to go about their everyday lives when they go through something like that?

[MUCSteelers5xSuperChamp]

Kamd50,

What about the center that left the Browns and retired for personal reasons before the start of the season without informing anyone?

[austinsm11]

This is very strange. Just curious, but starting with Bentley, how many starters have we lost for a significant time period?

[longtimefirsttime]

If it's a legit illness it's very likely we'll not know for quite some time, if at all. The privacy laws are such now that it would be likely lawsuit if it were released.

[MTigers006]

MTown,
Yes it does. Not to sound rude or disrespectful to this town or our team but, we havent won a State Championship since 1970. Seems like forces in the universe are going against us as well. But I feel things are gonna change in the very near future for both the Tigers and Browns. As for the Indians I'm afraid its all downhill.

[warren1st]

MTown,
As for the Indians I'm afraid its all downhill.

What?? In the last 15 years, the Indians have been a far superior franchise than the Browns. Why do you say they are going downhill??

[shooter]

I'll guess he is suffering from depression or some other related illness.

[MTown]

What?? In the last 15 years, the Indians have been a far superior franchise than the Browns. Why do you say they are going downhill??

Because we acquire guys like Dave Delucci to be a corner outfielder.

[TigerCoach]

I don't know why you would hide something like a staph infection or a virus unless it was something terrible like AIDS. TC, you mean to tell me that he would be allowed to miss playing time because of a divorce while the rest of the world has to go about their everyday lives when they go through something like that?

Well, I dunno Kamd50, but something wierd is going on. Maybe he is severely depressed, to the point of suicidal, because of something like a divorce? I agree, if it were staph or an injury, they would say something.

[shooter]

Depression can happen on it's own, without an obvious stressor. It might also be panic attacks or an anxiety disorder. I's interesting that none of the sportscasters have dared to speculate, which is probaby fair. Leaving at halftime would point to some type of emotional disorder.

[shooter]

http://www.cleveland.com/weblogs/browns/index.ssf?/mtlogs/cleve_browns/archives/2006_12.html#210757

They say it's a mental disorder. With depression, I doubt he would start, depression lingers. Panic attacks come and go.

I had a lot of panic attacks worrying that Coach Dale would get thrown out again and I would have to coach the team. I also had a long period of depression after he left Hickory. I just couldn't get over losing the glory days. That's why I'm knowledgeable about these matters.