# Why are staph infections so prevalent in the NFL all of the sudden? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 24, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383 "2008-10-24T16:55:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/1 "2008-10-24T16:55:55Z")
Within the last week there have been reports that Kellen Winslow Jr., Tom Brady and now, Peyton Manning all got staph infections recently. Is there something inherent in NFL locker rooms that make this more likely? Or is it more common than I think and only because some big stars are affected it’s in the news? ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/2 "2008-10-24T17:14:38Z")
Contact sports in general are a risk factor for staph infections, in particular CA-MRSA (community acquired methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus). We see it a lot in football players, wrestlers, etc. It’s way more common than you think but not necessarily in the news until high profile players are being diagnosed. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/3 "2008-10-24T17:17:35Z")
Staph infections are the new athletes’ foot. :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/4 "2008-10-24T18:40:10Z")
Can someone clear up something for me: are the staph infections developing around the time of the surgery, or after the surgery while they’re healing? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/5 "2008-10-24T18:46:56Z")
More than just that. The players seem to be experiencing a lot of them. Not just the QBs getting operated on. But in Bradys case it came on after the first op. Then they went in 2 more times to clean it up. it keeps coming back. It could be career ending for him. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/6 "2008-10-24T18:57:11Z")
They have been very common in the NFL for years. Back in 2003 or 2004 there was a league-wide epidemic, with multiple teams losing a half-dozen guys from staph. The Giants were one of them, losing a couple OL and a few others. No big stars, though, so you didn’t hear about it unless you listened to one of the affected teams’ local sports radio. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/7 "2008-10-26T11:25:30Z")
I think a big part of the problem is this year’s new endzone celebration: Team Tongue. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/8 "2008-10-26T12:07:22Z")
There also was a problem with USC’s team, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/9 "2008-10-27T15:38:01Z")
It’s just peer pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/10 "2008-10-27T23:27:06Z")
They’re not fun. I’m recovering from one right now. It made me sick as a dog and my leg looked like the resurrection of the Elephant Man. ---
**Author:** ![Buddha\_Clause](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@Buddha\_Clause](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buddha_Clause)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/11 "2008-10-31T14:28:52Z")
Is it just me or does it seem that every couple of years there is a new ailment or injury that sweeps the NFL and seems to go away after the season ends… I remember when it felt like I couldn’t go a week without hearing about turf toe or stingers and I can’t remember hearing about them for the past couple of years now. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-staph-infections-so-prevalent-in-the-nfl-all-of-the-sudden/469383/12 "2008-10-31T14:33:27Z")
All of the sudden? The Lions have had a staff infection for 30 years.