Defensive tackle Linval Joseph was dominating the line of scrimmage during the 2015 NFL season for the Minnesota Vikings until a turf toe injury left him sidelined for a handful of games. The team missed his presence, as without him the team struggled to defend the run and maintain a steady pass rush.
The team noticed this, and gave him an award at the recent Minnesota Football Honors ceremony, naming him the Defensive Player of the Year. With the team having him under a long-term contract, the concern of a nagging injury like turf toe the typically doesn’t happen to linemen.