Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy was once again a no-go for Friday’s practice meaning the former Badger will likely miss his second straight game Sunday against the Vikings with a hip injury.
The hip injury however has become a point of contention over the past week in terms of its full disclosure.
Jeff Moss of the DetroitSportsRag reported Thursday that the Lions were withholding the true account of Levy’s hip injury and that the linebacker is actually suffering from a parasite contracted from his offseason adventures in Chile.
Here’s an excerpt from DSR:
We are being told that Levy contracted a parasite in Chile and THAT is what is really keeping Levy off the field. Worse yet, the team’s doctors have no clue when the linebacker will be able to return.
If this source is accurate, the million-dollar question becomes this …
Is the parasite actually impacting Levy’s hip? If the Lions are lying about the nature of Levy’s injury when filing their weekly injury report with the NFL, they could expose themselves to hefty fines or even the forfeiture of a future draft pick.
Levy’s agent Joe Panos however told the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that the parasite rumors are ‘100 percent’ false, falling in line with the issue being a muscle-strain.
Spoke with Joe Panos, agent for #Lions LB DeAndre Levy. No, Levy’s absence isn’t related to a parasite from Chile. “Completely, 100% false.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 18, 2015
However the Lions didn’t seem as black and white as Panos.
After practice today, head coach Jim Caldwell wouldn’t address the parasite report according to the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett.
So at this point the Lions are maintaining that Levy is suffering simply from a muscle-strain that the team believes will be a short-term issue. However it would certainly make sense, given the DSR report why they currently would deny everything in terms of it being a parasite that’s preventing Levy from touching the field.
