5 Top NFL Athletes Who Have Torn Their ACL- And Returned

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Athletes who have torn their ACL used to be prime candidates for early retirement. Luckily, this injury is not the career-ender it used to be. NFL players who have torn their ACL can come back stronger than ever.

And we have proof! Here are major examples of some of the best NFL players who have torn their ACL - and returned to perform at ProBowl levels.

Tom Brady - Torn ACL

Tom Brady is a four time Super bowl winning Quarterback. He has not had a losing season since becoming the starter for the Patriots in 2002. In fact, Brady is on the short list of the greatest players of all-time. He's a lock for the hall of fame. Over his career, Brady has won league MVP 3 times, the Super Bowl 5 Times, and Super Bowl MVP 4 times. He's been named to the Pro Bowl 13 times.

Brady is also one of the poster boys for successful return from an ACL injury. In the first game of the 2008 season, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard rolled into Brady’s knee and tore both his ACL and MCL. Brady sat the season but came back with a bang, and 10 years later he's still winning Super Bowls and leading the NFL's most successful franchise. The beat goes on for Tom Brady, superstar.

J.J. Watt - Meniscus Tear & Tibial Plateau Fracture

JJ Watt is on the shortlist of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL. But his season was cut short early last year when he suffered a devastating knee injury. And while Watt's injury wasn't technically an ACL tear, the effect of the injury was similar. (For more on the specifics of Watt's injury, click here.)

Luckily for Texan fans, Watt is back on the field. Will he continue to be a major factor on the defensive end? We think so. For NFL players, knee injuries like this used to be considered potentially career-ending. Now it's possible for a physical specimen like Watt to continue to terrorize the league, even after a major knee and leg injury.

Rob Gronkowski - Torn ACL, Torn MCL

"Gronk" is one of those guys who you might criticize, but you can't hate. He's blessed with a winning combination of size, skill, and athleticism. These traits make Gronkowski a stalwart of the always-contending New England Patriots. At the rate he catches passes, you'd better believe Pats QB Tom Brady is treating Gronk to some steaks on off days!

Gronk also had a high-profile knee injury in 2014, tearing his ACL and MCL. It was an unfortunate end to his season, but he didn't let it slow him down. In fact, he returned the following season to lead the Pats to the Super Bowl. And he was there again in 2016 hoisting the trophy. And again in 2018... well, this time the Pats lost. But you can't win them all.

There's been a lot written about how an ACL tear can derail careers in the NFL. It's an injury that chews up and spits out football players, but Gronk has managed to overcome the odds. And the happy-go-lucky tight end has become a Boston sports legend at the same time. He's a top-level member in the pantheon of athletes who have torn their ACL and enjoyed sustained success.

Teddy Bridgewater - Dislocated Knee, Torn ACL

The knee injury that Teddy Bridgewater suffered in a preseason practice is legendary. This may be because we live in the era of constant news when it comes to sports. The minute a player suffers an injury, it's broadcast on Twitter, often by those on the scene. And on the day of Bridgewater's injury, there were some panicked tweets coming out of Viking's camp. Because of this wild media scene on the day of, he's become one of the most notorious athletes who have torn their ACL.

This was a shocking injury, no doubt about it. Why?

  • It was a non-contact injury on a routine play

  • The severity of the injury was surprising considering the circumstances

  • The shocked reaction of the other Vikings players was immediate and scary

The two years following Bridgewater's injury were full of speculation. Would he ever return to the Vikings?

Luckily for Teddy, he has recently recovered from the injury and is ready to take the field. But the NFL is a business that demands instant results. After a great season which saw them sniff the Super Bowl on the back of QB Case Keenum, the Vikings moved on. But Bridgewater signed with the New York Jets in the offseason, before being traded to the New Orleans Saints. We'll chance to see what he has left down there in New Orleans. Hopefully, he gets a chance to regain the form he displayed before this injury. It'd be one of the best comeback stories of the modern era.

Adrian Peterson - Torn ACL, Torn MCL

One more example of an NFL player bouncing back strong for you high school and college kids trying to do the same. Viking's RB Adrian Peterson tore his ACL and MCL during a Christmas eve game in 2011. Many pundits thought it would be the end of Peterson's ascendant career. They were so wrong!


You might say his return was miraculous. But I've seen firsthand what can be achieved when an athlete has the right mindset and sets their mind to recover. Clearly, Peterson had his head and heart in the right place. The season after the injury, he came back with a staggering performance. With 2,097 yards, he very nearly broke the NFL rushing record. He might be tops in the pantheon of athletes who have torn their ACL and enjoyed remarkable success.

Now that's a comeback! And Peterson continues to be a high level running back and a shining example of what can be achieved, post-ACL repair.