faba Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Turley is released after failing physical By Bill Coats Of the Post-Dispatch 06/06/2005 Rams offensive tackle Kyle Turley (Chris Lee/P-D) Kyle Turley won't be playing offensive tackle, tight end, defensive tackle or anything else for the Rams in 2005. Turley has failed a physical exam administered in Arizona, where he had been rehabbing the back injury that cost him the entire 2004 season, and has been released. Officially, Turley was designated as "waived - failed physical," which means the Rams owe him $250,000 but that the effect on the salary cap is the same as if he simply had been released. The "hit" is $1.82 million this year and $5.47 million in 2006. Turley signed a six-year, $26.5 million deal with the Rams after he was acquired in a trade with New Orleans in March of 2003. Turley, 28, underwent surgery on a herniated disc in March of 2004 after starting all 16 games at right tackle the previous season, his first with the Rams. Turley reinjured his back early in training camp last July and was placed on the injured reserve list Aug. 28. Advertisement Additional surgery was not performed, and Turley said in a recent interview with the Post-Dispatch that he had been training daily since early January at the Athletes Performance Institute in Tempe, Ariz. After dropping some 65 pounds from his playing weight, down to 235, the 6-foot-5 Turley reported that he'd added about 30 pounds and hoped to play in the NFL this year. Still, Turley acknowledged that he probably couldn't add enough bulk to man an offensive line position this year, so he hinted that he'd be interested in a different position - perhaps tight end or defensive end. "As far as the team goes, I don't know what their thoughts are," he said. "Obviously, they signed a contract with me to play offensive line, and they don't know what I would do at another position. So, that's probably a big question in their mind. ... "(But) it might take another year possibly to continue putting the weight on, making it good weight, and not just going out and eating a bunch of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and burritos at 2 in the morning, to get back up to 300 pounds." It probably never would've gotten that far with the Rams, particularly after Turley's well-publicized offseason clash with coach Mike Martz. Their rift began when Martz became irritated that Turley wasn't returning his phone calls after leaving training camp in Macomb, Ill., to seek evaluations of his back injury. A conversation between the two in mid-December in Martz's Rams Park office escalated into a shouting match and ultimately led Martz to file a complaint with NFL security, alleging that Turley threatened him. Turley continued his criticism of March into the new year, assailing him bitterly in national interviews. Yet he insisted only a week ago that he still was amenable to playing for Martz and the Rams. "As far as Mike Martz and that whole story is concerned, my goal is to play football this year and worry about winning games. Outside of that, I don't have too many more things to say," Turley said. "Looking back on the whole thing, I can understand a little bit of frustration on his part, and I'm sure he can understand a little bit of frustration on my part. "Whether or not I'm going to be on that team next year is not so much in my hands but in theirs, and there's nothing I can really do about it. So, you move on if it comes to that." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 It wouldn't surprise me if he never plays again. Poor guy isn't even healthy enough to throw a helmet across the field anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 If this guy was perfectly healthy I wouldn't want him here. He is a cancer. PASS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 He's garbage. No pity for him, here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 He's garbage. No pity for him, here. Tru about the pity. Karma is funny that way. He seems to have gotten what he deserves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomShane Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Justa bizarre deal with Turley. He wants to stay a 265 and play DE, the last I heard. You really have to wonder how much steroids played a role in this guy's success...and demise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dave Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Turley's not so bad ... LOL. Anyways, he wants to come back as a defensive tackle. Go figure. He's down to about 260#, so, he's definitely underweight. Anyone want an underweight headcase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.