I don't know enough about the medical staff of the Saints or any other team but what else are they supposed to do when the league culture emphasizes that you have to play hurt or you'll be replaced. I mean they ask these guys to play a physically violent sport with injuries that take a lot of time and rest to heal. They'll shoot them up with painkillers and cortisone to get through games, taking the risk of making that injury worse or developing a new injury because other parts of the body are overcompensating.