Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. is campaigning to be one of the first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday.
Despite his extensive injury history, which includes two ACL tears, Penix believes he has shown enough resilience to be a potential face of the franchise.
In an article for The Players’ Tribune, Penix writes, “I hear it all the time. ‘He’s been injured; what happens if he gets injured again?’ Haven’t I shown you what that looks like? Haven’t I put almost 2,000 plays on tape since my last injury?”
“Truth is, I’d be more worried if I had never been injured. We don’t all come back the same. … For most people, that’d be the end of their story. But there’s more to my story, and I own every page of it.”
Penix compares himself to other greats who have overcome serious injuries during their careers, such as Tom Brady and Adrian Peterson.
“There’s [sic] been plenty of other guys who were cut from the same fabric, who experienced the same challenges, and displayed the same resilience,” he writes. “Guys you would’ve lost money on if you bet against them. Guys like Tom Brady, who went on to make three Pro Bowls after tearing the same ACL three times. Guys like Adrian Peterson, who had a 16-year Hall-of-Fame-level career at running back after tearing his ACL twice in college.”
Penix acknowledges that he may have to undergo additional medical tests to prove his health, but he believes that his performance on the field speaks for itself.
“So I have no problem taking all the MRIs and X-rays you ask of me,” he writes. “Truth is, it’s an EKG that will tell you everything you need to know about me.”
