After suffering a torn Achilles in Week 4 of the 2021 season, Detroit Lions’ defensive end Romeo Okwara went through a lot of firsts. It was his first major football injury. It was the first time he underwent surgery. It was the first time he was forced to watch his team from home, with his foot elevated.
“I never really faced a challenge like this in sports,” Okwara told reporters on Wednesday. “So I think mentally just getting over that hurdle, coming back from an injury like this, it teaches you a lot about yourself.”
The biggest challenge, as it is for most players going through a serious injury, was mental, not physical.