CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Oct. 22, the day earlier than the Carolina Panthers‘ house sport towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31-year-old defensive finish Henry Anderson was at house along with his spouse when his legs and arms went numb and his speech turned blurred.
“It was a stroke, so it is principally like a blood clot in your mind,” Anderson mentioned Wednesday.
After numerous checks with medical specialists domestically and nationally that could not decide what precipitated the stroke, the Panthers on Wednesday opened Anderson’s 21-day window to return from the NFL’s non-football sickness listing.
Anderson, who hadn’t revealed why he was out till Wednesday, has no hesitation about enjoying.
“I am a soccer participant,” he mentioned. “If I am cleared to play, I wish to be on the market and play soccer as a result of that is what I like to do. I have been injured a number of occasions all through my profession, and it is at all times form of overwhelming while you’re injured and never with the staff, so if the docs say I am good to go and I’ve obtained clearance I wish to be on the market with my guys and enjoying with my brothers.”
Interim coach Steve Wilks mentioned he is hopeful Anderson will likely be out there Sunday towards the Seattle Seahawks (7-5). The Panthers (4-8) are two video games behind first-place Tampa Bay (6-6) within the NFC South with 5 to go.
The 6-foot-6, 301-pound Anderson would offer depth to a unit that has given up a median of 159.4 yards dashing in its final 5 video games.
The third-round choose by the Indianapolis Colts in 2015 mentioned he is felt “fairly regular” since docs eliminated the clot.
“Operating round doing drills, I simply felt good,” he mentioned.
Anderson mentioned he did not know a lot about clots earlier than he had the stroke, however discovered by way of docs that different skilled athletes have had then and continued enjoying.
“I am glad that I used to be form of oblivious to what occurred as a result of there would have been much more panic,” Anderson mentioned. “I am positively fortunate.”
Anderson mentioned he instantly knew one thing was incorrect the day earlier than the Bucs sport when his legs and different extremities went numb. He known as the Carolina medical employees and shortly afterward was taken to a Charlotte hospital the place he spent a number of days present process checks after the clot was eliminated.
Teammates weren’t instantly advised particulars apart from Anderson wouldn’t play towards the Bucs the subsequent day.
“I simply form of keep in mind him not being on the assembly for private causes,” defensive finish Brian Burns mentioned. “They did not inform us straight away what occurred. When you came upon, yeah, it was a little bit scary.”
Anderson mentioned he underwent each check possible to find out what precipitated the stroke.
“Each check we ran got here again adverse,” he mentioned. “It was simply one thing the place I simply form of obtained unfortunate, truthfully.”
Anderson mentioned whereas he thought lots about soccer whereas out, what occurred did not change his perspective on enjoying.
“I do not know the way to say it,” Anderson mentioned. “After talking with everyone and realizing that I averted something main and obtained actually fortunate, it form of like eased my thoughts.”
