Gary After ACL: ‘I’m Still the Same Guy’

Rashan Gary didn't reveal his anticipated return to practice or the playing field, but he did describe the most emotional moment of his comeback from a torn ACL.

Rashan Gary (USA Today Sports Images)

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Throughout the offseason practices, Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary has been rehabbing his torn ACL on the sideline. What’s been the toughest part of his comeback?

His answer to that question demonstrated where he’s at mentally.

“The toughest part, man, I would say I’ve really been handling everything good. There really hasn’t been no tough part,” he said. “I’ll tell you a very emotional day was my first steps. Because I’ve been getting better day by day, that’s really where my head’s been, so nothing’s really been hard on me.

“But a very emotional day for me was my first steps, and my mom being able to see me walk to the car. She has been grabbing my bags, helping me, so taking those first steps for my mom.”

Gary didn’t recall the date. He did recall handing his crutches to Nate Weir, the team’s associate athletic trainer and director of rehab and return to play, and taking three steps, then seeing his mom cry.

Gary is long past taking a few steps. He’s also a long way from playing. While training camp will begin in about six weeks, the 2023 NFL season will kick off at Chicago in a little more than 12 weeks.

Time is on his side.

“I’ll be ready when I’ll be ready,” Gary said.

Every player is different, as is every ACL tear, as the Packers know full well with David Bakhtiari’s odyssey. However, tight end Robert Tonyan tore his ACL at Arizona on Oct. 28, 2021, and played in Week 1 of 2022. Left guard Elgton Jenkins tore his ACL at Minnesota on Nov. 21, 2021, and started in Week 2 of 2022.

Gary tore his ACL at Detroit on Nov. 6. Based on the returns of Tonyan and Jenkins, it’s possible Gary will be on the field at Chicago on Sept. 10.

“I’ll be ready when I’ll be ready,” Gary repeated.

There’s also a financial component that’s impossible to overlook. A first-round pick in 2019, Gary will play this season under the fifth-year option. After recording 9.5 sacks in 2021, Gary had six sacks in nine games in 2022. Of 100 edge defenders with at least 200 pass-rushing snaps, Gary ranked second in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-rushing productivity and eighth in pass-rush win rate. He is an elite player; a lucrative, long-term contract awaits.

Given his full-throttle personality, Gary might want to play ASAP; his agent, Ian Clarke, might want him to touch the brakes a bit. The Packers, who tend to be conservative regarding injuries, anyway, and especially after Bakhtiari’s troubled return, no doubt will handle Gary’s comeback with care given the 25-year-old’s importance to the team.

Gary said the contract isn’t on his mind.

“One thing I told myself is, throughout this process, I’m taking it day by day,” he said. “I’m just making sure I’m squeezing the towel as much as I can every day, making sure I’m not leaving not one inch of doubt of if I pushed it to my all, so that’s all, man. Just going 100 percent day by day and we’ll see where I’ll be.”

Gary was going 100 percent when he was injured. He was pressuring Lions quarterback Jared Goff, only for it to be a screen pass. When Gary changed direction to pursue the receiver, it changed the course of his career.

“To be honest, I played an extra three plays on it and then came out,” he said. “They were like, ‘Yeah. Let’s go in the locker room.’ I was walking on it and everything. That’s really what it was. So, I just had to tighten up and gather myself emotionally.”

It was the first major injury of his career. There was a fleeting moment of “depression” that was quickly replaced by figuring out he could help the team pick up the pieces from losing the game.

“Once I got hurt, my focus, it really wasn’t on me. It wasn’t about what I was doing. It was really on this team,” he said. “We had young guys. JJ (Enagbare), he was able to get some experience, but that’s what I was thinking about, man. I wasn’t thinking about what I was going through. I was literally just thinking about just letting down this team, bro.

“You feel me? I love these guys, love the organization, love the opportunity, the chances that they gave me. But when I got hurt, I wasn’t thinking about me. I was thinking about how to help this team from where I can and what I can do.”

Gary was all smiles on Wednesday. The injury is buried in the past, in his mind a mere detour on a path to greatness.

“I’m still the same guy,” he said. “Ain’t nothing changed.”

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