Titans linebacker Akeem Ayers turned in a disappointing season in 2013 and knee problems were partially to blame for his drop in productivity.
Ayers revealed Monday that he had surgeries on both knees to repair injuries to his patella tendon this offseason. The surgery on his right knee, which happened in January, was previously reported, but Ayers said Monday that his attempt to play through the injury led to problems in his left knee as well. The surgery on the left knee came six weeks later and Ayers said he’s looking forward to being back to 100 percent after not being “at the best of my ability” last season.
“It was actually pretty bad even before the season started,” Ayers said, via the Tennessean. “I didn’t know the severity of the injury until pretty much after the season. I pretty much thought it was soreness or pain that would eventually go away. But throughout the season, it got worse and worse. I had to sit (parts of) games out and sit practices out, but I didn’t really know how bad it was until the end of the season. That’s when I found out I needed surgery.”
Ayers is doing individual drills at OTAs and expects to be fully ready to go by the time the Titans start training camp. Assuming he’s healthy, Ayers should be back in the starting lineup come September.