Can These Three NFL Players Have Bounce-Back Seasons After Suffering Season-Ending Injuries?
The ACL tear is arguably the worst injury in all of sports. It seems so common considering dozens of players across all major sports tear their essential ligament, but recovering from it is no small task. The most notable case of recovery in the NFL is probably Adrian Peterson’s 2012 season. On Christmas Eve in 2011, Peterson tore his ACL and MCL, ending his season after propelling the Vikings to their first win in nearly two months. His surgery took place six days later, and he miraculously returned to practice on August 14, less than eight months since his season-ending injury. The man known as “All Day” didn’t miss a beat, rushing for over 2,000 yards and winning the league MVP award in a stunning return to form. Players can only hope to have a recovery like Peterson did, but there’s always a chance. This is a list of three players who had their season cut short due to knee injuries, who will hope to bounce back in 2025.
Stefon Diggs
When the Texans traded for Stefon Diggs last year, it was a move that dominated headlines for months. After all, Diggs was a perennial Pro Bowler in Buffalo and was quickly solidifying himself as one of the greatest wide receivers of this decade. All things considered, he started well in Houston, notching at least five receptions in all but one game he played in, as well as averaging 71 receiving yards per game from Weeks Three through Eight. Combine that with the fact that he was fighting for snaps with Nico Collins and Tank Dell, and that’s a good season for a 30-year-old receiver. However, Diggs endured a major setback when he suffered an ACL tear just about a month before his 31st birthday. The Texans’ offense dealt with a multitude of injuries last year, with CJ Stroud and Laremy Tunsil being the only players to start all 17 games. In March, the Patriots signed Diggs to a three-year, $63.5 million contract, and he’ll be looking to bounce back in a big way, especially since he’ll be playing the Bills twice a year now.
Brandon Aiyuk
The Texans’ offense had an injury bug; meanwhile, the 49ers’ whole team went through substantial injuries. Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey, Dre Greenlaw, and Elijah Mitchell all missed significant time due to injuries in 2024. The focus of the team will be Brandon Aiyuk, who developed into a surefire number one receiver two seasons ago. After being selected to the Second-Team All-Pro team with 75 receptions for over 1,300 yards in ‘23, he was ramping up to try and build on his success. However, that didn’t come to fruition as he underwent two gruesome injuries in Week Seven: an ACL and MCL tear, the same as Peterson back in 2011. Currently, there is no timeline on Aiyuk’s return, and he’ll likely end up on the PUP list to start the season. With Deebo Samuel now off the team, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and Demarcus Robinson will have to hold the fort down for the first month of the season.
Rashee Rice
The only player coming back from a non-ACL injury on this list is Rashee Rice, who was feared to have suffered that injury in Week Four. After throwing an interception, Patrick Mahomes and Rice both attempted to tackle Kristian Fulton, the interceptor, but Mahomes collided with Rice’s knee, which led to him getting carted off the field. After getting an MRI, it was confirmed that Rice would miss the remainder of the season, but it was due to a torn lateral collateral ligament, or LCL, in his knee, not an ACL. That’s a significant discrepancy because the recovery time tends to be shorter for that type of injury, meaning he could be available for Week One. Before that unfortunate collision, Rice was leading the NFL in receptions and was second in receiving yards while putting up 72 yards per game. When he comes back, expect the Chiefs to take their offense to the next level now that defenses will have to worry about both Rice and Xavier Worthy to make plays at the wide receiver position.
