Former Iowa Star Discloses Major Injury Update

This former Iowa Hawkeyes star has provided a major update in his recovery from a major injury with the Minnesota Vikings.

Oct 6, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end T.J. Hockenson (38) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Former Iowa Hawkeyes star and current Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has had a rough go of it over the last year.

In Week 16 of last season, Hockenson tore his ACL, sidelining him for nearly a year. But now, Hockenson is ready to get back on the field as the Vikings prepare to face the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.

It has been a long road back for Hockenson, and the two-time Pro Bowler recently provided a detailed update on how his recovery has gone.

"I [felt] at seven [months] that I was ready to go out there and start practicing. But that's another thing that the [medical staff] here has done an incredible job, just being like, 'Hey, you can't yet, you can't yet, it's not smart,'" Hockenson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN. "They do everything in the best interest of you as a person and not necessarily what you want to do or what you are asking to do. They do what's best for you from science, from a standpoint of being better in years to come rather than in the past. And so it has just been incredible."

Hockenson was in the midst of a spectacular campaign in 2023, as he had hauled in 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns through 15 games before going down.

The 27-year-old was originally selected by the Detroit Lions with the eighth overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft and spent the first three-and-a-half years of his career with the Lions before being traded to the Vikings midway through the 2022 season.

Hockenson made Pro Bowl appearances in 2020 and 2022.

We'll see how much the Iowa standout can bring to Minnesota's offense the rest of 2024.