Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL and one of the reasons why many people joke that it stands for “not for long.” The Falcons got a first-hand lesson in how devastating injuries can be last season, when a series of critical defensive players were put on injured reserve.
This year, some of them are hoping to bounce back from their health issues in 2018. Safeties Ricardo Allen and Keanu Neal have spent a lot of time rehabbing together and seem to be intent on getting back to a high level. Given the nature of the sport, next year there will no doubt be a couple of guys in the same position.
In one of the team’s first OTA practices of the year, defensive end Steven Means suffered an Achilles injury and will miss the entire 2019 season as a result.
Means wants everyone to know he’s going to fight back, though. In a post that he shared on Facebook and Twitter, Means vowed to bounce back from the first season he’s ever lost since he started playing football.
So far, Means has played in 34 pro games, split between the Eagles, Buccaneers and Falcons. He’s mostly played as a backup and posted a total of three sacks and five quarterback hits.
Achilles injuries are no joke and not easy to come back from. On the bright side, Means will have roughly 15-16 months to recover before next season begins. If Means shows progress, the Falcons should definitely consider re-signing him for 2020.
