“I don’t know the exact timeline yet,” Chrisman said. “I had a procedure a couple days ago, and so, we’re really just waiting for that to heal. And all the other tests that we’ve done have come back really positive and kind of eliminated all the really scary stuff. So, kind of just waiting for that to heal. And, my hope is next week. You know, this procedure wasn’t super invasive, kind of just waiting for a scab to heal, and hopefully get the green light to go. But I’ve got to talk to the doctors tomorrow and put a plan together. But that’s my hope.”
Chrisman said he and the doctors are “still kind of figuring some things out,” so he wasn’t ready to share all the details but he described the incident as being related to another issue he’s dealt with in the past.
In a photo he shared on Twitter from the hospital, he had a noticeable mark on his forehead, and Chrisman said that was from a fall that happened as a result of his medical incident.
“It was kind of a freak thing,” he said. “I’ve dealt with a little bit of something ever since I was 10 years old, really. And, obviously, was a little more extreme at this point. So it was a little scary. But luckily, it happened right in the weight room here. I couldn’t have asked for a better spot to be to get that kind of immediate attention and care, and hats off to everybody that acted so quickly and got me the care that I needed.”
Chrisman said the only thing he feels now is some discomfort from the area where he had the procedure, but he remains in good spirits.
The former Ohio State punter wants to miss as little practice time as possible as he competes for a job with rookie draft pick Brad Robbins. He took over as the Bengals punter last season for now-retired veteran Kevin Huber, but the Bengals selected Robbins in the sixth round and planned for a full competition between him and Chrisman this training camp.
Chrisman said he needs to just focus on getting back to full health before he can worry about that, but he believes he will still have enough time to compete.
“Immediately, it’s, yeah, get 100%, and then, you know, come back and see where the cards lie at that point,” Chrisman said. “I think that’s still the focus. Obviously, once I can finally put on the cleats and start kicking the ball again, I think that’ll come more to the front of my mind. But at the moment it’s getting back to 100%. And then kind of taking it a day at a time from there.”
Chrisman was thankful for all the support he received from fans on social media when it became known he was in the hospital. He wishes he had more answers for them, but he hoped showing face around the facility today was as comforting for others as it was for him.
“All I know is now I feel good, all the tests come back really positive, so maybe I’ll share that and to be out on the field today, see the guys again, I think that helps them in a way as well, especially since the last time they saw me I was getting wheeled away on a stretcher,” he said. “So you know, that’s never a great sight. We know that especially from last year. Being able to come back and show face again certainly helps me, and I think put some minds at ease as well.”
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