Former Saints DB Delvin Breaux Opens Up About His Journey, Doctors Misdiagnosing His Injury & Much More [Audio][MERGED] (1 Viewer)

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This was an interesting listen getting a bit more insight into what happened. That 2016 season was brutal in more ways that one. I'm really curious though, he goes on about how bad they treated him esp Sean...and then the next sentence he's says he's at peace with it and still loves them. I wonder what changed?

He's been generally quiet about the Saints in recent years since leaving ,but then it looks like on his social media the Saints organization sent him a special package around Mardi Gras or something with jerseys that he got super pumped about/maybe had a message
 
I think SP knew he handled Delvin's situation wrong; calling him soft and things of that nature. Once he realized Delvin was misdiagnosed, he apologised and fired the entire medical staff. They had already misdiagnosed multiple players including K. Lewis, (Like him or not if you hear his story about his surgeries and rehab by the saints medical staff, and basically being told by Pittsburg during a physical his knee has had multiple failed surgeries and never healed right, there is no doubt it contributed to his career ending early.) I think the bridge was burned for him and the risk was to great for any NFL team to take. The talent was there.
 
How did they not know that the medical staff was awful? Anyone with inside knowledge of the medical community in this area knew the main doctor was awful.
 
How did they not know that the medical staff was awful? Anyone with inside knowledge of the medical community in this area knew the main doctor was awful.

This is uninitiated speculation on my part, but was it because the doctor had a relationship with or was an employee of Oschner? That partnership (like the weird relationship the team has with the Catholic Church) seems to have done more harm than good for this organisation.

My impression is that Payton's treatment of Breaux was pretty unfair too, even if he was unaware of the misdiagnosis at the time. I mean, Breaux was a guy who came back from a serious spinal injury that at one stage threatened his ability to walk. It was such a remarkable story. If he said he was hurting and could not practice, surely he deserved the benefit of the doubt with that track record.

Coach might have been in a bad place personally at the time but there really is no justification for such sustained hostility/workplace bullying in a modern organisation. Hopefully this episode changed his attitude and perspective.
 
Me calling out the Saints medical staff three months before they were fired...even before the Breaux travesty.

Regarding the Saints selection of Ramcyzk over Foster in 2017.
My problem with what the Saints did was less of a problem with who they selected and more of a problem with who they wanted select. The Saints wanted Foster. Foster was an undersized LB with personality concerns...but even more of concern was his injury history. He has a history of concussions and a playing style that leads to concussions, and has a bum shoulder. Somehow, someway, despite just about every other team not clearing Foster medically...the Saints cleared him...or did they? Clearly, the Saints were going to take him...but was he medically cleared by the Saints medical staff? Is the Saints medical staff competent? Or did the Saints medical staff NOT clear Foster, and Payton want to get him anyway? Any way you slice it...I have big concerns because this is a team that has been absolutely devastated by injury in the past few seasons. I suppose that shouldn't be surprised by the blunder that would have been if Foster would have lasted one more pick. It makes me question the Saints medical eval of Lattimore...along with many of their other draft selections. Medical is probably the most important part of the scouting process and the Saints simply don't appear to know what they are doing.

Regarding the reason for drafting Marcus Williams
But why did the Saints select Williams? Largely because Byrd was a monumental bust at the FS. Another Saints player that the staff fell in love with...while completely overlooking his medical concerns.

Regarding draft pick of Anzalone
The shoulder is a bit more of a concern...but again...I generally have quite a bit of trust in the UF staff. Though I don't completely trust the Saints evaluation of injuries...at least there's enough there for me to have some confidence that he will stay healthy. The player that Anzalone is trying to replace is another guy with an overlooked medical history, Dannell Ellerbe.

Regarding the Saints signing Ungrr to an extension with a chronic injury
And then Unger needs surgery on his foot. Unbelievable...well actually, not that unbelievable if you've been paying attention.

Unger's missed multiple games and significant parts of past seasons because of foot injuries. He was injured late last year...again with a "foot". Is this a continuation of prior injuries? Is this a new foot injury to throw on top of all the prior ones? Tough to say with limited info available. But it is a bit frustrating that Unger is 31 years old, was just handed a long-term contract extension, and now has an injury very known to him that will keep him out the beginning of next year with a hellacious opening schedule.

Regarding another horrible medical evaluation in Nick Fairley
I'll reply here on Fairley because though it's a different player, it's the same old tired theme.

Nick Fairley had a KNOWN cardiac condition before the NFL draft, and was re-signed to a nice sized, multi-year contract March of this year. Now there are reports that Fairleys career may be in jeopardy due to a cardiac condition. So, I think that it's natural on my part to be frustrated with the Saints organization over this ordeal. Even if Fairley's career isn't over...it again shows that the Saints front office is incompetent in regard to medical risk. If I was in the Saints front office...I'm not signing anyone without a thorough examination and medical record. So I see it one of three ways: 1) the screening didn't take place, 2) Fairley developed symptoms in the four month window between the time of signing the contract (March 2017) and now (June 2017), 3) Fairley has been symptomatic and not telling anyone until after signing the multi-year contract.

Let's look at the medical staff. John Amoss is the team physician, is internal medicine trained from LSU. He is the medical chief and serves as residency program director for Touro Internal Medicine. With his resume, there is no question that he is a competent physician. But he's not Sports Medicine trained...and serving as team physician is one of his many jobs.

The Saints have two Orthopedic surgeons on staff, Deryk Jones and Misty Siri. Both are quite accomplished...Jones is Sports Medicine trained through Harvard Medical. He dabbles with regenerative therapies. Suri trained at Steadman Hawkins, which is a reputable Ortho fellowship.

If I was to tweak the staff...I would bring in a primary care Sports Medicine trained physician. The reason is that surgeons are trained to operate...but screening, prevention, and non-surgical management is better served by someone in primary care. Unfortunately, the doc the Saints have in primary care is not Sports Med trained. Though I'm sure he is a competent primary care provider, he isn't Sports Med trained.
it is really hard to compose myself over this situation. First, I'm glad that Fairley stumbled across a competent medical staff for a change...it may have been the difference between life and death for him.

This has to be one of the biggest organizational blunders that I have seen since I became a devout Saints fan in 2000. How can you sign a guy to a mega-contract extension without taking his pre-existing cardiac condition seriously before hand? How does that happen in an NFL franchise filled with people who make hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more to appreciate the details? And sometimes the details can be trivial...but this one was an obvious blunder.

How this franchise hasn't learned that a player's health is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT attribute to consider in scouting and determining who to sign/draft quite frankly blows my mind. This is an NFL franchise, with professional executives making decisions, with a professional medical staff who is suppose to be engaged with the executives. There's an ENORMOUS disconnect between medical and the front office. People are going to say "fire the doctors"...and depending on the situation, that isn't completely out of the question...but I fear that is not the bigger part of the problem.
 
Me calling out the Saints medical staff three months before they were fired...even before the Breaux travesty.

Regarding the Saints selection of Ramcyzk over Foster in 2017.


Regarding the reason for drafting Marcus Williams


Regarding draft pick of Anzalone


Regarding the Saints signing Ungrr to an extension with a chronic injury


Regarding another horrible medical evaluation in Nick Fairley

I never really realised it at the time during the era from 2012-2016, but our team was a mess.

I always just assumed it was bad luck and bad defense, but really it's no surprise that were were so lackluster during that period. Awful draft picks, terrible contacts, bad lockeroom, the worst medical staff in the league (which the Pelicans suffered from too until recently), etc.

Thank god for Ireland coming in. The team has definitely bounced back since he has been in the building. 2017 draft is proably the best draft class in the entire NFL of the 2000s, so far.
 
I love Delvin Breaux’s story besides the end of his career here. He came out of nowhere to become a decent starter. Went to LSU and was almost paralyzed by a hit. Fought his way back to reach his dream of playing in the NFL. Then our idiot doctors misdiagnosed him and Payton takes a shot at him that I bet is one of lowlights as a head coach
 
Just listened to this. I always wanted to hear his side of the story. The part towards the end where Sean Payton pulled the “call me ‘man’ one more time” crap...that’s the type of person I can’t stand. Like breaux said, we’re both men so talk to me as such.
 
The situation was a mixed bag. Sean has lost the locker room and was desperately trying to get it back. Delvin admits no one was putting in anything extra and they weren’t very motivated. You had guys like Byrd saying I can’t play but was clearly not that injured.
Spiller couldn’t get on the field, Lewis couldn’t get on the field. Vaccaro injuries. I’m sure Sean was ready to pull his hair out.
 
I never really realised it at the time during the era from 2012-2016, but our team was a mess.

I always just assumed it was bad luck and bad defense, but really it's no surprise that were were so lackluster during that period. Awful draft picks, terrible contacts, bad lockeroom, the worst medical staff in the league (which the Pelicans suffered from too until recently), etc.

Thank god for Ireland coming in. The team has definitely bounced back since he has been in the building. 2017 draft is proably the best draft class in the entire NFL of the 2000s, so far.

Sadly, I think the medical incompetence went back further than 2012. Remember all the sports hernias that were constantly getting misdiagnosed by our staff? Player would go out with what was called an "ab strain" or "groin strain" -- and they'd miss weeks and weeks and then finally the team would send them to see a specialist and they'd get diagnosed with a Sports Hernia and get surgery. I can't remember exactly who -- I just seem to recall a bunch of them. I actually think that was the fallout Jeremy Shockey had with the organization. I seem to recall Jabari Greer dealing with one as well that was misdiagnosed (could be wrong there though).
 
The situation was a mixed bag. Sean has lost the locker room and was desperately trying to get it back. Delvin admits no one was putting in anything extra and they weren’t very motivated. You had guys like Byrd saying I can’t play but was clearly not that injured.
Spiller couldn’t get on the field, Lewis couldn’t get on the field. Vaccaro injuries. I’m sure Sean was ready to pull his hair out.

Sean Payton carried a ton of fault. People forget just how toxic things were getting before 2017. Ireland and the 2017 draft literally saved his job. Sean Payton also appeared to take a hard look in the mirror and make personal changes. I'm not going to get into the personal issues that Payton may or may not have been facing around that time period...but he certainly didn't look like he was in a good place. I'm just glad we appear to be beyond that. It is actuallly quite impressive to see the change between 2012-2016 and 2017-current. We went from truly being dysfunctional, to one of the very best franchises in football. Much of it has to do with success that was bred largely be our insane success through the draft over that time period, along with Payton seemingly getting his stuff together. Canning the incompetent docs definitely played a role, but there is just no way it was as simple as that.
 

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