What happened to Corey Linsley? Chargers center placed on IR due to heart issue

There are times when football seems trivial and the latest development with Corey Linsley is a case in point. The Los Angeles Chargers center is one of the first names of the teamsheet, that is how important he is to the team.

However, it became clear last week that there was something wrong as he missed every single practice. Now, he has been diagnosed with a non-emergent heart-related medical condition. He has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he will miss the next four games. One assumes that Corey Linsley will take that time to meet with the Chargers staff and medical professionals to determine his immediate future.

The center has been one of the stalwarts for the Chargers since moving in 2021 from the Green Bay Packers. In his very first season in Los Angeles, he made it to the Pro Bowl. Corey Linsley's importance to their entire offense, especially for quarterback Justin Herbert, cannot be overstated.

In his absence, Will Clapp is expected to start. He played three games for the Chargers in 2022 and signed a one-year contract to return with them this season.

Corey Linsley's early diagnosis is a cause for hope

No details have been given regarding the diagnosis that has put Corey Linsley on injured reserve, beyond what is highlighted above. It is not known if and when he can make it back into the football field.

However, that is very good news for the wider NFL because some things are more important than football. Every football fan would have felt the dread last season when they saw Damar Hamlin needing CPR on the pitch when the Buffalo Bills visited the Cincinnati Bengals. He miraculously recovered due to the immediate attention of the medical staff on that day and the sterling work of the doctors and professionals who treated him.

Corey Linsley's early diagnosis before anything untoward happened on the field is extremely welcome. It will help him, his team and the league avoid any potential situation like what happened with Damar Hamlin.

It is true that if more information arises regarding the severity of the issue, the Charger center's playing career could be over. But even though it would be devastating for a man who does this for a job, it will be an infinitely better result than any incident that can seriously jeopardize his health in the future. All of us at Sportskeeda would like to wish him the very best as he tackles one of the biggest challenges of his life.