San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw suffered a devastating injury during the Super Bowl, tearing his Achilles in the first half.
Greenlaw recently said that he still gets emotional when he thinks about the injury, particularly given the circumstances surrounding it.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Greenlaw made an appearance at the Dwight Clark Legacy Series this week and provided a positive update on his recovery.
“It’s a long slow process,” Greenlaw said. “I’m feeling really good, though. I’m happy to be able to walk on the stage actually. It’s been about three months since the injury, so I just recently got out the boot. Slowly everyday just rehabbing, getting strength, getting mobility in it, and just doing whatever it takes to get back on the field as soon as possible.”
Greenlaw is coming off of a terrific 2023 campaign in which he racked up 120 tackles, 1.5 sacks and four passes defended.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Arkansas, waws selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He appeared in every contest during his rookie season and was impressive, finishing with 92 tackles, a sack and an interception.
Greenlaw posted similar numbers in his sophomore year, but in 2021, injuries limited him to just three games. He rebounded with a big season in 2022, rattling off 127 tackles, an interception, a couple of forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries and six passes defended in 15 games.
It’s certainly going to be a long road back for Greenlaw, as the full recovery period for a torn Achilles could be around a year. So, it’s entirely possible San Francisco may not have him back on the field in 2024.
Greenlaw is a huge loss for the Niners, as he was an integral piece of a defense that ranked eighth in the NFL in yards allowed and third in scoring defense last season.
The 49ers tried to replace him with free-agent linebacker Eric Kendricks, but Kendricks backed out of a deal with the club to sign with the Dallas Cowboys.
Of course, what’s important right now is for Dre Greenlaw to get back to 100 percent health. He seems to be in good spirits, and the fact that he is now out of a walking boot is certainly huge.
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