Yes, it can happen.....but is Robert Smith the exception or the rule?
People keep suggesting Buxton's injuries are bad luck, but people who get hurt often don't have to have it happen to the same area all the time. Some human bodies are more or less durable.
It's also worth mentioning on this example: Robert Smith was on the field for the Vikings at a better rate than Buxton in a more physical game for the time period he was labeled as injury prone. He also retired at age 28. I'm not sure that example is a good one for a Buxton extension,