Oct 20, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens guard Kelechi Osemele (72) blocks Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel (99) during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

No matter what other people say, when you’re an offensive lineman on a professional football team, you’re the most important piece of the team.

Without the offensive line, there would be no points on the board for a team’s offense. It’s always important to stay on the good side of your line, because if it isn’t for them, quarterbacks and running backs would be taking a lot of trips to the hospital.

This is all kind of obvious. Now I played both guard and tackle in my days as a football player. I’ve even played through injuries and it affected me on a day to day basis. Actually it still does to this day.

Now I can’t imagine how it would be if I actually made it to the NFL. Would I still be able to play with the injuries I had when I was younger? No way. I would be slapped on the injured reserve and have to watch from either my couch at home in my living room, or on the sidelines.

I would be on the sidelines, of course but that’s not the point.

Offensive guard Kelechi Osemele of the Baltimore Ravens has recently admitted that a back injury has affected his play and he does plan on undergoing surgery this off-season.

“I’ve been dealing with it for a while and it’s getting to the point where I’m going to eventually go ahead and get that fixed’ I was avoiding it for as long as I could, gambling with it. I just can’t afford to camble with it any longer. It’s something I definitely have to do something with after the season.” Osemele via the Baltimore Sun.

It’s always important to be honest with the coaching or medical staff if you’re feeling any type of discomfort. Yeah we’re expected to be the stronger guys on the field, but at the same time we get hurt just as quick as any other guy on the field.