If ever there was a reason to sulk, tearing your ACL an hour into your first NFL practice with the team that drafted you third overall would be right at the top of the list.
Dante Fowler isn’t going down that road, however. Fowler’s first season with the Jaguars ended as quickly as it began when the defensive end went down during a drill at the team’s first rookie minicamp practice, but said Saturday that he was confident all the discussion would be about how good he looked during a “great first hour” of professional work.
“I’m the guy that’s really thankful about things,” Fowler said, via the Florida Times-Union. “I cherish a lot of things. ... I love this game so much. I don’t care about the injury, because I know what this game comes with. I know every play, I’m risking myself. I put myself in this situation. I signed my name on that dotted line. I knew what I was getting myself into. It’s just one of those unfortunate things right now. In the future, a year from now, we’ll be all smiling again and talking about me sacking people.”
Fowler worked out with Rams running back Todd Gurley, who has made his own recovery from a torn ACL, heading into the draft and that’s helped fuel his strong belief that he’ll be back in top form in time for the 2016 season. Coach Gus Bradley voiced the same belief, although he surely hopes future bursts of optimism don’t come with the same dark backdrop provided by Fowler’s injury.