Early last season, Ravens’ star linebacker Terrell Suggs was sidelined with his second career Achilles tear. As he struggled through surgery and rehabilitation, Suggs’ team struggled to find its groove on the field, ultimately ending the season with a 5-11 record.
The Ravens were weaker without Suggs to chart 12 sacks and 39 tackles, as he did in the 2014 season, but his absence had an even greater impact on the morale of the team. The 14-year veteran was both a staple in the Ravens’ defense and an unparalleled leader of the entire team.
At the age of 33, Suggs never once flirted with the idea of retiring, and this season he approaches Ravens training camp with more fire and zest than ever. During his first media appearance in almost one year, Suggs compared missing last football season to the clichéd “girl that got away.” Except this time he gets another chance with “her” and knows he will treat “her” right.
Suggs feels stronger – aside from his Achilles – now than he did at this time last year, and he is more than eager to return to the field. Sizzle, his loud, fierce on-field alter ego, is raging inside him, ready to get back to work at M&T Bank Stadium, but Suggs knows he must be smart and take his rehabilitation seriously to ensure his longevity in the game.
Suggs assures he will be back soon, though, and this year he has Super Bowl LI on his mind.
