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Nutten mulls his future, heads for surgery on toe
By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
01/18/2005
Left guard Tom Nutten is unsure whether he will continue playing or retire (again). No matter what, it looks as if he's headed for offseason toe surgery.
"It's a severe case of turf toe, I guess," Nutten said Monday. "I'm going to get it looked at by a specialist as soon as possible. But it does seem that it's going to be a pretty (substantial) surgery there."
Nutten was slowed late in the season by a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee. But that's an injury that won't require surgery and will heal on its own, with rest.
Nutten suffered the toe injury in late August, about a week after ending his retirement to aid the Rams' injury-riddled offensive line.
In the meantime, Nutten said he won't make a hasty decision on retirement.
"Right now, emotions are going up and down," he said. "Obviously with the injuries, that's the main concern, just getting healthy.
"This whole year has been crazy. Starting out, being on the media side like you guys, doing the Super Bowl. And being on the sidelines in Cologne. And then getting the call out of nowhere to come out here for six months."
Nutten covered Super Bowl XXXVIII last season for German television and then coached the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe.
"Right now, I just want to go home and rest," he said.
Obviously, part of Nutten's decision-making process depends on whether the Rams want him back. He plans to talk to offensive line coach John Matsko before leaving town.
Surgery is in store for Grant Williams
Offensive tackle Grant Williams needs offseason shoulder surgery. And the sooner the better as far as he's concerned.
"Hopefully, it's this week," said Williams, who planned to schedule something with his surgeon. "I mean, I'm not doing anything. Get the kids to school, and get the shoulder done. Those are my priorities now."
Kennedy doubts he'll need operation
Late in the season, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy experienced considerable soreness in the foot that was broken early in training camp. He doesn't think additional surgery will be necessary.
"For the most part, I've got to just let it heal up, continue to heal up," Kennedy said. "But I've got to go see the doctor that did the surgery and make sure everything's cool."
Kennedy came on strong late in the season and played a much more significant role than the Rams expected following the injury in training camp.
"I made a lot of steps overcoming this injury and stuff," Kennedy said. "I was fighting through it at the end of the season."
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