Next Man Up

It’s a well worn coach-ism common to all sports at all levels:  “Next Man Up”.  

Coaches are generally loath to use injury as an excuse (well, at least until AFTER a loss), so they trot out the “Next Man Up” mantra and school their players to fall back on it as well.   It’s a nice turn of phrase to satisfy the inevitable (and never ending) questions from the media and to help to keep the team engaged and focused on the task at hand.

Typically, though, there eventually comes a tipping point relative to its usefulness.  Injuries will always be an integral part of sports, and while good teams should certainly be expected to absorb some attrition, that tipping point occurs when the volume of injuries becomes untenable - regardless of expectations.

Also, not all “games missed” are created equal. The Kansas City Chiefs would not remain as odds on Super Bowl favorites if Patrick Mahomes went down and was replaced as QB1 by “Next Man Up” Gardner Minshew.