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Worst sports injuries of 2013

By
Social Links for Justin Terranova
Published Dec. 20, 2013, 1:05 p.m. ET

‘Tis the season for recalling the year’s most vicious injuries.

  1. 1. Worse for Ware

    It was no contest for the most brutal injury of the year. Louisville’s Kevin Ware broke his leg in the Cardinals Elite Eight win over Duke and replays of the bone-through-skin injury were grotesque — if you had the stomach to watch them. Louisville would go on to win the national championship and Ware would receive calls of support from President Obama, Joe Theismann (who could certainly sympathize) and others.

  2. 2. 'Hey' now

    Braves outfielder Jason Heyward was on the wrong end of this Jon Niese fastball and had to be taken to a Queens hospital. Heyward suffered a broken jaw and would miss a month.

  3. 3. Punters hurt, too

    Kevin Huber was on the receiving end of one of the worst hits you will ever see a punter take from the Steelers’ Terence Garvin. Amazingly, no flag was thrown on the play, which resulted in a broken jaw and cracked vertebrae. Despite the injuries, Huber has shown a sense of humor, making a picture of the hit his Twitter avatar. 

  4. 4. The injury that keeps on giving

    Robert Griffin III
    AP

    It’s nearly a year later and Robert Griffin’s torn ACL is still causing problems for the Redskins. Griffin suffered the injury in the Wild Card game against the Seahawks in January, and Redskins coach Mike Shanahan received flak for not pulling a clearly injured Griffin earlier in the game, which ultimately led to him collapsing on this play. Griffin returned in time to play the first 13 games of this season, but he took a lot of punishment and did not look the same — and only then did Shanahan bench Griffin out of fear of his safety. 

  5. 5. Blue day for Happ

    Perhaps the scariest of this year’s injuries. J.A. Happ took a Desmond Jennings line drive off the head and fractured his skull. Happ had to be carted off, but thankfully was able to return to the mound three months later. Brandon McCarthy, another pitcher who took a scary head shot, said Thursday that protective head gear could be coming for pitchers next season. 

  6. 6. Sid’s vicious hit

    Sidney Crosby, who always seems to get hurt against the Islanders, took a slapshot to the jaw and missed over a month, returning for Game 2 of the Penguins’ first-round playoff series against those very same Islanders. Crosby and Co. got revenge by knocking out the Islanders in six games.

  7. 7. On the Marc, unfortunately

    Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said his eye will never be “100 percent” after this scary play. The injury occurred on March 5, and Staal missed the rest of the season before returning this year.

  8. 8. Bryce isn’t right

    Nationals phenom Bryce Harper lost this battle with the Dodgers Stadium wall and was lucky to escape with 11 stitches and bruised knee. 

  9. 9. Stay out of the Citi

    Maybe the Braves should avoid playing at the Mets altogether. In July, weeks before Heyward’s injury, Atlanta lost ace Tim Hudson for the season in when Mets outfielder Eric Young Jr. stepped on his foot at first base and broke the pitcher’s ankle. Hudson missed the rest of the season. 

  10. 10. Gronk conked

    Cleveland Browns v New England Patriots
    Getty Images

    After a botched forearm surgery forced him to miss the start of the season, Rob Gronkowski was again emerging as Tom Brady’s top target when this low-flying Week 14 hit led to a torn ACL, MCL and a concussion. 

  11. 11. Down goes Danilo

    Danilo Gallinari was becoming the All-Star-caliber player the Nuggets envisioned when he was the centerpiece of the Carmelo Anthony trade with the Knicks, but this torn ACL has kept him off the court since April.