Most Consequential Sports Injury in History

Off hand I think of Mantle and Namath tearing up knees.

I think Tommy John's elbo injury was very consequential. It fostered ground breaking surgery that is saving many Baseball arms... Bryce Harper for example.

On second thought, I think the WORST injury ever was... Colt McCoy's injured shoulder in the 2010 BCS Championship Game



Alabama won the coin toss and elected to receive the kickoff. The Longhorns forced a three-and-out. Alabama attempted a fake punt, but P.J. Fitzgerald was intercepted by Blake Gideon at the Alabama 36. Texas drove to the Alabama 11, but on 1st down, Colt McCoy (2008 Heisman trophy runner-up and 2009 Heisman Trophy finalist) was hit on QB option run by sophomore defensive lineman Marcell Dareus, pinching a nerve in McCoy's throwing shoulder and leaving him unable to throw the ball accurately. McCoy was replaced by true freshman Garrett Gilbert and would be ruled out for the remainder of the game. Texas reached the 1-yard line, but was held to an 18-yard field goal for an early 3–0 lead. Julio Jones muffed the following kick-off (a surprise short one), with Texas recovering at the Alabama 30. Texas was unable to get a first down, but chalked up a 42-yard field goal, giving Texas a 6–0 lead.


With Colt McCoy (the winningest QB in College Football history), Texas might have easily been up 14-0, in the first quarter.   What chance would Bama have had to come back from that? 

Texas STILL had a CHANCE to WIN that game, with a Freshman QB who'd taken only a dozen snaps all year. 

After that win, Saban became a God. 
Mack Brown lost his mind, and decided to try to become a RUN team, like Alabama.   At about the same time that Saban decided to become a PASS team, like Texas. 

The most profitable college team in the land did as swan dive into the toilet, where they have swirled around for 13 years. 

If there's ever been a more consequential injury in college football, I don't know what it was.