When DeAndre Levy suffered a hip injury last August that eventually required season-ending surgery, the deep-thinking Detroit Lions linebacker made a conscious decision to rehab himself back to good health without the use of opioid pain-killing pills that are commonly prescribed in the NFL.
Levy, like most players, had used such pills at the recommendation of team doctors in the past.
But now entering his eighth season with the Lions, Levy said his mindset has changed when it comes to dealing with injuries and the general soreness that goes with playing the game.
“I stay away from pills,” Levy told the Free Press after an Organized Team Activity practice last month.