Rams’ Youngblood Tells Doctors to Take a Hike : Defying Medical Opinion, Defensive End says No to Surgery on Herniated Disk

When it comes to his back and his future in football, Jack Youngblood believes, the doctor does not know best.

Dr. Robert Kerlan, the Ram team physician, and his associates have determined that surgery is necessary to repair the herniated disk that last season stopped the veteran defensive end’s playing streak at 201 games. But surgery at this point would keep Youngblood out of the lineup next season.

Youngblood, 35, preferred a second opinion--his own--and decided against the surgery.

“I felt like I could back to a position where I could play without the surgery,” Youngblood said the other day. “I saw the objective diagnosis and I understand what...was wrong.

“However, I felt good, like I was in the process of getting better. The leg was getting stronger. That nerve damage was getting better.”

Kerlan said: “This is a very difficult decision on the part of any athlete, especially if the symptoms start feeling a litter better. He’s not a scientist, he’s not a physician, and he’s overcome a lot of things in the past that a lot of people haven’t.

“I think he’s trying his best to get ready, and I’d be the first to cheer him on if he does. If anybody in the world could pull a miracle, it would be him.”

Two other Ram players, wide receiver Drew Hill and Gary Jeter, came back from similar back problems last season.

But Kerlan said that Youngblood’s problem was more severe than theirs.

Kerlan was asked the possibilities of Youngblood’s recovery, with surgery or without it.

“Realistically, the doctor in me thought it was a very large difference,” Kerlan said. “But the Youngblood fan in me hopes it won’t be.”

In either case, Youngblood is now past the surgical point of no return for next season.

“It’s no cinch to get your back operated on and rehabilitate and get back by July, even if you’re operated on in December,” Kerlan said.

Youngblood said: “I felt that if I had surgery and lay down for three months, I could not come back to play the game to my level.

“I’m preparing to play, and I’m going to be in the best condition possible. I’m giving it one big effort.”

He has stepped up his off-season conditioning program to five days a week, trying to regain the strength in his left leg lost by nerve damage in his back.

“The strength is coming back,” he said. “I’d say it’s 50% back. Now we have to see how much stress it can take.”