The NFL doesn’t do quiet comebacks… It doesn’t do quite anything, really. In any case, when a big-name NFL star goes down with an injury, the news cycle eats it up—talking about the impact on the team—and diving into speculation on if he’ll be the same guy when he gets back into action.
And then they double dip when the comes back and the hype trains leave the station with no brakes whatsoever.
Every offseason workout video gets overanalyzed, every rehab clip goes viral, and suddenly, a guy who hasn’t played meaningful football in 14 months is expected to be better than he was before tearing every ligament in his body.
The reality is a mixed bag. Some guys come back better than ever, while others fall apart.
And of course, there are a few in the middle.
So let’s take a look at last year’s injury report and get into what we can expect from the 10 biggest NFL stars returning to action.
What can we assume from these NFL stars after returning from injury?
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
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Rashee went from “Umm who?” to “Mahomes’ favorite weapon” faster than a Chiefs fan forgets Sammy Watkins existed, let alone suited up for the teams.
But just when he started really showing signs that he could develop into an elite number 1 option, a torn LCL sent him packing for the season.
He’s expected back—and with Xavier Worthy ready to turn the field into a racetrack—it is fair to say that hopes are high in Kansas City.
Rice might not reclaim every target, but he should still emerge as Mahomes’ most complete WR—if his leg cooperates, he won’t skip a beat in KC’s offense.
Javon Hargrave, DT, Minnesota Vikings
Javon Hargrave may have lost a year in San Francisco, but the Vikings are banking on the idea that he hasn’t lost a step. And honestly? It’s a smart bet.
Before the pec tear derailed his 2024 campaign, Hargrave was one of the most disruptive interior linemen in the game—a rare blend of power and quickness who could collapse the pocket and plug the run without blinking. Minnesota didn’t just grab a name—they added a tone-setter for a defense that needed more bite.
Don’t be surprised if this investment turns into one of the best value moves of the NFL offseason.
Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots
Once the engine of Buffalo’s offense, Diggs spent the last couple of years watching his star dim.
He was supposed to help elevate a young Texans offense last year, but the separation wasn’t quite there, the big plays dried up, and the frustration boiled over—on the field, on the sidelines, and probably in the group chat.
The cherry on top, of course, was the ACL injury that ended his season—and effectively, his tenure with the Texans.
Now he’s in New England, where the expectations are oddly high considering how 2024 ended. The Patriots are banking on him to be the guy for rookie Drake Maye. But the reality? This is a 30-year-old wideout coming off a major knee injury with declining production and a history of disengagement when things aren’t going well.
Not to mention a growing interest in, erhm, shall we say—off the field extracurriculars?
The most likely outcome might be a name-brand receiver slowly sliding into post-prime purgatory, with fewer targets, less juice, and more sideline shrugs.
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions
The Motor City was devastated to see their former top draft pick, Aidan Hutchinson, who went from gritty to terrifying in year two, get struck down by a gnarly leg injury that turned Detroit’s defense into a major weakness heading into the playoffs.
Given his youth and athleticism, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, but he is reportedly healing like a Marvel character and should be dominant again this NFL season.
Hutch returns to a pass rush still missing a proper tag team partner but expect him to be a one-man wrecking crew. The kid’s a technician coming off the edge and plays with a violence that strikes fear into the opposition.
Assuming the leg holds, he’ll be back haunting quarterbacks in no time.
Will Fries, OG, Minnesota Vikings
It has been a big off-season for Fries despite coming off an injury, as he was able to get Minnesota to give him nearly $88 million.
Credit to his agent—he sold a rehab project as a foundational piece.
In any case, now Fries is expected to not just return, but also to lock down the interior of a line tasked with protecting a first-year starter at quarterback and a typically challenged run game.
The Vikings didn’t just buy in, they doubled down—and smart money says that Fries will be up for the task. He was steady for the Colts throughout his first contract, and there is no real reason to think otherwise.
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys quarterback missed nine games in 2024—his third extended break in five NFL seasons.
And now that he is on the wrong side of 30, he’s somehow both a franchise quarterback and a walking “what if?”
Because it is always something with Dak… either an injury or a performance meltdown.
Let’s just say it is fair to be skeptical about his prospects heading into next year, coming off the injury.
Still, there is some reason to be optimistic in Dallas; he should benefit from the moves the front office made to upgrade the wide out weaponry with George Pickens and the O-line with Tyler Booker.
The only thing left is for Dak to do what he’s never done: prove he can win in January.
But coming off a lost season, it feels like the likelihood is lower than it has ever been.
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy’s rookie year was supposed to be a Michigan-to-Minneapolis handoff, a storybook arc where he slips into the Kirk Cousins void and guides the Vikings to the promised land—or at least out of wild-card purgatory. Instead, a preseason meniscus tear benched him before the opening montage could roll. Classic Vikings luck…
But the Darnold detour is over, the Aaron Rodgers pipe dream passed, and now McCarthy’s got the keys to the franchise with no training wheels and no excuses.
Minnesota’s betting big that the kid with poise, pedigree, and a playoff glint in his eye can make the leap from the pro level in spite of the gnarly injury he’s coming off.
The good news is he’s got protection, a retooled line anchored by Darrisaw and Fries, and Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are two of the best wideouts in the game.
Not to mention, he’s playing for a Kevin O’Connell!
Sure, he hasn’t faced a live snap, he’s coming off knee surgery, and the schedule doesn’t wait for you to get comfy, but McCarthy is in about as good of a situation as you could be otherwise. Expect him to come out of the great strong in his second NFL season.
L’Jarius Sneed, CB, Tennessee Titans
Have you ever bought something expensive that breaks almost immediately – because that is a very relatable feeling down in the Music City… and it is exactly what the Titans did with Sneed.
They didn’t just pay for the All-Pro lockdown corner—they tossed in a third-round pick and a multi-year check with zero receipt and no return policy.
And thanks to him going down almost immediately last season, all they got out of the deal was a shiny, inactive nameplate on the depth chart.
Now Sneed’s back, and hopefully healthy, but coming into the season with a ton of pressure to deliver.
We think he’ll find his way back into form rather quickly, but if not, he’s going to be a very expensive cautionary tale of promising deals gone sideways.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
CMC’s time in Carolina was, in many ways, a waste of talent—a premier athlete buried on countless injury reports.
But in San Francisco, the vision finally matched reality. He was electric.
He became the centerpiece of an offense that operated with frightening precision. For a brief stretch, he looked like the best player in football.
Then came 2024. Thirteen games missed, and now the conversation has shifted from “how many ways can he beat you” to “how long can this last?”
The 49ers let his primary backup walk, and their offense is built on rhythm, timing, and versatility—three things that falter fast if McCaffrey isn’t right. He’s still capable of dominating. But at this stage, it’s just as likely he’s a ticking clock, and there is a growing fear amongst NFL fans that it’ll be a repeat of Carolina.
Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Seattle Seahawks
While still respected, Lawrence is in many ways the NFL’s ultimate “still hanging around” guy. Lawrence has been on more injury reports than Pro Bowl ballots the last five years, and 2024 was no different—a Lisfranc issue that wiped him out early, right as Dallas needed some pass rush stability.
So, of course, Seattle threw him a three-year deal. Because why not add a 33-year-old edge rusher with a foot problem and diminishing returns to a defense trying to find its identity?
This isn’t 2017 Demarcus. This is “prove you still matter,” Demarcus. He’s playing for a team in transition, under a coordinator who once coached him, hoping that some of that old burst hasn’t aged out of his cleats if it’s still there, great. If not? Enjoy the sideline claps and locker room leadership platitudes.
And unfortunately for Seahawks fans, we expect the latter to be the case.
Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Heading into 2025, expectations are clear: Godwin needs to show up—healthy, reliable, and explosive enough to justify the hefty extension that the Bucs gave him, despite coming off another injury.
Tampa’s banking on him and rookie Emeka Egbuka to bolster the passing game that is built around the effective, but inconsistent, right arm of Baker Mayfield—and an aging Mike Evans.
Based on how he looked last season before going down seven games in—when he was among the league leaders in receiving—the Bucs should feel good about this bet.
Godwin is also beloved within the organization, so keeping him probably wasn’t too challenging a decision—let’s just hope he can bounce back like most expect him to.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
After playing through what felt like a landslide of nagging injuries in 2023, Trevor Lawrence was finally shut down last year, missing seven of the final eight contests in a lost season.
Given the situation, Jaguars fans understood, and most were aligned.
But heading into this NFL season, the expectations are going to look completely different, regardless of whether or not Lawrence is coming off an injury.
The Jaguars have a fresh play-caller in Liam Coen and a rookie weapon in Travis Hunter—and it is time to take a step as the face of the franchise, if he’s going to take it!
This isn’t just about healing, but evolving—because, frankly, even Lawrence’s healthiest seasons haven’t been enough.
He needs smarter decisions, fewer turnovers, and clutch conversions. And if I were a Jaguars fan, I’d be a little worried that this season will tell a truth about their “franchise quarterback” that they are not ready to handle.
Derrick Brown, DT, Carolina Panthers
If there’s one guy Panthers fans can still believe in on that defense, it’s Derrick Brown.
Before the knee injury that derailed his 2024 season in Week 1, Brown had built a reputation as one of the league’s most quietly dominant interior forces—commanding double teams, wrecking run games, and giving Carolina a legitimate anchor up front. Not flashy, not loud—but heavy-handed, relentless, and damn near immovable when he’s right.
Look for a strong return to action from Brown!
Trevon Diggs, CB, Dallas Cowboys
When Trevon Diggs is healthy and locked in, he’s electric, picking off passes, baiting quarterbacks, and flipping momentum in a heartbeat. But that’s only half the story.
Sure, he’s gotten the big extension out of Jerry Jones… But given the number of big plays he gets burned for, honestly, I’m not sure that was the best idea for the Cowboys.
And now he’s coming off not one, but two major knee injuries—including a bone graft surgery that makes his Week 1 status a big question mark.
If the Cowboys’ secondary gets shaky and Diggs isn’t 100%—or worse, starts slow and keeps giving up chunk plays—2025 could turn into a long, frustrating NFL season for both him and Dallas.
Christian Darrisaw, LT, Minnesota Vikings
Christian Darrisaw might’ve missed half the season, but Minnesota never stopped seeing him as the anchor of their offensive line. And with good reason—when healthy, he’s one of the best blindside protectors in the league.
The Vikings didn’t just survive without him; they thrived, finishing 14-3 and setting the table for an even bigger 2025. Now with Cam Robinson gone and Darrisaw fully healed, it’s all systems go for the former first-rounder.
Expect a monster return—Pro Bowl-level play and a key role in what could be Minnesota’s most complete roster in years.
