Christian Ponder’s Arm Bruise

Many Vikings fans were wondering why Christian Ponder didn’t play through his injury. We said it on Twitter a number of times, but it wasn’t his decision to play or not to play. The coaching staff shut him down. Further, it wasn’t a decision because it was too painful, which is what many Vikings fans alluded to. No, it was a decision to sit him because he was unable to throw. The bruise prevented him from getting the velocity on the ball necessary to play the position and to make throws beyond 15 yards. (We’ll save you the time and say the joke for you: Couldn’t throw beyond 15 yards? He must have had that injury all season! ba-dum-ching.)

Regardless of what you think, this is what it looked like. It reminds us of the bruise on Brett Favre’s ankle the last time the Vikings were in the playoffs and painfully knocked out. That’s a pretty nasty bruise. (Click on the image for a better look at it.)