Roughly a month after announcing his plan to file a lawsuit against the city of St. Louis, Reggie Bush has yet to do so. But when asked if he is still thinking about taking legal action, Bush told the Associated Press recently that he is "strongly considering it."
The San Francisco 49ers running back sustained a tear on his meniscus, a cartilage in the knee, after slipping on the concrete track surrounding the turf of St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome on November 1. He soon underwent surgery that cost him the last eight games of his first year with the 49ers.
It is worth noting that only a week before Bush's incident, quarterback Josh McCown of the Cleveland Browns hurt his shoulder at the same stadium after accidentally sliding on the exposed concrete. He was then forced to sit out a few plays in his team's loss after his injury.
The Rams have since placed padding to cover the concrete behind both benches at the stadium. "They covered it up, though. They covered up the concrete. I would appreciate it if they did it before, but it is what it is. There's nothing I can do about it now," Bush said.
The 30-year-old running back hired renowned celebrity lawyer Shawn Holley and accused the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority, who manages the Edward Jones Dome of "gross negligence given the potential danger of having such a slippery surface abut the playing field," according to SportingNews.com.
Bush was placed on the 49er's injured reserve after his knee surgery. Despite suffering some injuries this year, including a mild calf strain during the season opener, the 10-year veteran still intends to play next year. He recorded eight carries for 28 yards in just five games for this season. Furthermore, Bush will still receive his $1.6 million base salary and another $500,000 roster bonus while on the injured reserve list.
Meanwhile, San Francisco has decided to rule out Vance McDonald for Sunday's match against the Cleveland Browns. With him sidelined, the team is left with one healthy tight end on its lineup, rookie Blake Bell.
McDonald, 30, suffered a concussion during the second quarter of the 49ers' victory over the Chicago Bears last Sunday. He did not practice with the rest of his teammates this week. Linebacker Michael Wilhoite (ankle) and running back Carlos Hyde (foot) was ruled out for the upcoming game along with McDonald.
His replacement, 24-year-old Blake Bell, was primarily a quarterback, red-zone running specialist, and a product of the University of Oklahoma. He was chosen by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The rookie tight end caught seven passes for 89 yards this season.
