Return to play after rotator cuff tear in National Football League athletes

Abstract

Rotator cuff tears are rare injuries in National Football League (NFL) athletes and there are limited data to help guide players and team physicians. The purpose of this study was to assess return to play (RTP) rates, performance levels, and career length following a rotator cuff tear during their playing career. Using publicly available data, we identified players who sustained a rotator cuff tear between 2000 and 2019. Demographic information, treatment (operative vs. nonoperative), RTP rate, preinjury and postinjury performance score, position, and career length were entered into the analysis. Twenty-nine athletes with a mean age of 27.4 years (±3.1) at the time of injury were included in this study. Forty-eight percent were offensive and 52% defensive players. 79.3% (23/29) were able to RTP at the same professional level for an average of 2.8±3.4 years. The average time to RTP after injury was 198.4±125.3 days. The average age of players who RTP was 26.7±2.5 years compared to those who did not (30.3±3.7, P=.02). Similarly, the preinjury NFL career length was 4.0±2.2 in players who RTP compared to those who did not (7.5±2.7, P=.01). Most injuries (82.2%) were treated surgically; however, there was no significant difference (P>.05) in RTP rates, performance score, or career longevity between operative and nonoperative cohorts. Overall RTP rates for NFL athletes following a rotator cuff injury are promising with approximately 80% returning at the same performance level regardless of treatment type. Older, veteran players particularly those over the age of 30 were significantly less likely to RTP and should be counseled accordingly.