Sharpe Would Like Seahawks To Share His Pain Long-Term Ankle Problems Continue To Haunt Broncos Tight End Star

Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe learned one thing about painkillers last season. They don’t work for him.

Sharpe took more than three dozen pain-killing injections in his chronically aching ankles last season. The routine enabled Sharpe to play 15 games and catch 87 passes.

What it didn’t do was take away the pain. This year, he told team doctors where to stick their needles.

“It’s not getting any better. It’s sore, very sore,” Sharpe said. “I haven’t really been healthy. I’m not going to take any injections. That’s the bottom line.”

Sharpe is left wondering about his playability heading into the game Sunday in the Kingdome against the Seattle Seahawks. His left ankle was so sore last week against the San Diego Chargers he was limited to a few plays as a backup. It isn’t any better this week, but Sharpe vows to try to block out the pain psychologically and return to the starting lineup.

“Doctors can’t tell me what keeps causing me to twist the ankle or what keeps causing me to be in so much pain,” he said. “They told me last year, ‘Well, you take these shots, and at the end of the year, everything is going to be OK.’

“Well, the end of the year came and it wasn’t and still isn’t. So why go through that again.”

A couple years ago, Sharpe played a game on the artificial turf in Kansas City. The ankle was caught under his body following a play, and he’s been ailing ever since.

The injections, Sharpe thought, were the only solution. Now that they didn’t work, he’s going to have to deal with the pain the best way he can.

“I just told myself I’m just going to have to go,” Sharpe said. “I was in great pain last week. Now that I look back at it, I probably shouldn’t have gone, but I thought I could go out there and it didn’t happen. I keep telling myself I’m just going to go and make the best of the situation.”

Seahawks defenders expect Sharpe to be at the top of his game Sunday.

“He’s more of a receiver playing tight end,” Seattle strong safety Robert Blackmon said. “He has deceptive speed. They say he’s 4.6 (seconds in the 40-yard dash). He’s faster than that. He’s strong. He gets up on you, and he’s going to push off on you.”

Which is why he still is tied for the Broncos’ lead with 16 receptions despite not doing much last week.

Highlights, lowlights

Despite changing six starters on defense, the Broncos are allowing 320 yards a game. Another particular lowlight is a run defense that allows 127.3 yards a game, and 4.4 a carry.

A highlight has been the play of defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry, who is a solid run-stopper and can put inside pressure on the quarterback. Unfortunately for the Broncos, Perry rushed back two weeks early from a one-month knee injury and might not be able to play an entire game.

In the two games that Perry missed, the Broncos allowed 31 points in each game… . The Broncos are the only team in the AFC to score every time (12) they’ve been inside the opponents 20-yard line. They have seven touchdowns and five field goals.

Notes

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan gave up on veteran Rod Bernstine, who had been nursing a hamstring injury. He had been wanting to start Aaron Craver at fullback… . The only Seahawk who missed practice Wednesday was wide receiver Ricky Proehl, who is out until midseason with a broken leg. Defensive end Antonio Edwards practiced a little more on his sprained knee, but he is listed as questionable… . Left tackle Ray Roberts escalated his practices on his sore left ankle and is now listed as probable.