San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw spent 10 grueling months working to rejoin his teammates on the field after tearing his Achilles during February's Super Bowl. Last week, his perseverance paid off as he made his long-awaited return, suiting up against the Los Angeles Rams.
Greenlaw's fiancée, Mikaela Gallagher, shared a heartfelt video documenting portions of his recovery journey, from the initial injury to his triumphant return (h/t Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area).
"A glimpse into our past 305 days. We cried, we laughed, we sold our first home and moved into our dream home," Gallagher wrote. "We traveled, you never stopped showing up for us, and we never let anything get in the way of enjoying the journey. You poured your heart and soul into becoming yourself again, quietly, never expecting any praise in return.
"305 days later, through God alone, you took the field again. And boy was it a testimony of the man you are, on and off the field. Your dedication and humility is admirable. There is truly nothing you can't do. Gods light shines so brightly through you, and I am so grateful to experience it all with you."
Greenlaw's inspiring return wasn't without challenges. He exited the game in the third quarter due to a sore knee—an understandable symptom given the demands of playing after such a long layoff.
"I'm sore," Greenlaw said after the game. "I played a lot of plays. I'm sore. So it was expected. Everything I feel is expected. Knee's sore, same side as the surgery, so everything's probably a little tighter. (I) get 10 days luckily into the next game. So just get the range of motion in it, get the strength back in it and get the confidence back in it, and it'll be good."
The following day, head coach Kyle Shanahan reassured reporters that Greenlaw's knee and Achilles were evaluated and in good condition.
"He should be good going forward, but he'll also be day-to-day," Shanahan said.
