USC RB Stafon Johnson injured in weight lifting accident

[XtennesseeX]

Just on ESPN - they said he was bench pressing when the bar fell on his throat, and he started coughing up blood. Not alot of info, but they said it was pretty serious.

[kptvol]

Yo. If that bar really landed on his throat I doubt we see him anymore this season.

[govols182]

Wow. That sucks

[XtennesseeX]

Tailback Stafon Johnson suffered a throat injury while weightlifting Monday morning and is undergoing surgery this afternoon.

Johnson, a senior from Compton, was bench-pressing with a spotter in Heritage Hall's weight room when the bar slipped out of his right hand and fell at an angle onto his throat. USC's athletic trainers and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, and Johnson was taken to a local hospital, where he's currently undergoing surgery on his throat.

"It was an unfortunate accident and Stafon is getting great care right now," Coach Pete Carroll said. "We don't have a lot of information at this point and we'll keep everyone updated, but our thoughts and prayers are with Stafon."

Head strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle, who was within 10 feet of the incident, said he was shocked something like this could happen.

"I've seen players have the bar slip and fall onto their chest, but never in my 25 years of coaching have I heard of someone dropping a bar on their throat," Carlisle said. "We're fortunate he was being spotted."

The bench press is commonly regarded as one of the safest exercises in the weight room, especially with a spotter, Carlisle said. An assistant strength and conditioning coach was spotting Johnson this morning.

Johnson's recovery time from surgery is unknown at this time.

University of Southern California Official Athletic Site

[toyotaboy]

This is why you use the hammer-strength.

[milohimself]

Originally Posted by toyotaboy

This is why you use the hammer-strength.

Hammer strength? Ever heard of stabilizing muscles?

Anyways, sounds horrible. I hit the weights pretty regularly, always a fear with bench pressing. Hope he gets better and can play again.

[VOL_FAN_in KY]

What a strange accident.

[TennesseeFan07]

Wow, that's terrible. Good thing USC goes about 42 deep at every position.

[blupotato]

i hope he comes out of this alright. i used to lift very heavily for a long time and am suprised this does not happen more often. a bad lift and you get the weight in the air in the wrong place and it could easily come crashing down. i feel for this young man. once, again i hope he will be ok.

[toyotaboy]

Originally Posted by milohimself

Hammer strength? Ever heard of stabilizing muscles?

Anyways, sounds horrible. I hit the weights pretty regularly, always a fear with bench pressing. Hope he gets better and can play again.

The stabilizing muscles don't help much when that bar starts slipping, I prefer using hammer strength, it takes away the fear of dropping the bar.

I hope the kid's ok, you'd think he'd yell for his spotter when he felt that thing start to go. Hope he gets well.

[bburger991]

nothing official, but I've heard its a crushed trachea and his career is over.

[toyotaboy]

Originally Posted by bburger991

nothing official, but I've heard its a crushed trachea and his career is over.

Have mercy, that is awful.

[KingNick865]

Wow, that was probably my worst fear about bench pressing.

Hope he can resume his football career.

[TrueOrange]

oh sh$t; that sucks and is awful, wow....

where the hell was the guy who was supposed to be spotting him?????

[govols182]

Originally Posted by TrueOrange

oh sh$t; that sucks and is awful, wow....

where the hell was the guy who was supposed to be spotting him?????

Obviously not spotting him.