Two weeks after Kendrick Norton’s life was changed forever, the Dolphins’ defensive lineman got a big piece of normalcy back. Norton was released from the hospital yesterday after two weeks in the hospital and a total of 6 surgeries on what remains of his amputated left arm.
The news was made official by Norton’s agent, Malki Kawa, late Thursday morning.
From here, Norton will look to regain as close to a normal routine as possible as he adjusts to life in these new, trying circumstances. The long-term objective for Norton it to be fitted with a prosthetic arm, although the timetable for such an apparatus is currently unknown.
What is known is that Norton’s playing career with the Dolphins is over. But the Dolphins will have an opportunity to do right by Norton and ensure he’s set up for success in life after football. One way they can help is by determining how to handle his upcoming 2019 contract. If the Dolphins were to place Norton on the Non-Football Injury list, the team could elect to honor his $495,000 salary for the 2019 season.
The Dolphins are under no obligation to do such a thing, but owner Stephen Ross has kept the Dolphins engaged in the local communities with numerous charitable causes — it wouldn’t be a surprise.
