After sustaining a torn Achilles tendon during the 49ers’ Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Dre Greenlaw’s 2023 NFL season was abruptly cut short; nevertheless, the great linebacker is making a full recovery. Speaking with Laura Britt of NBC Sports Bay Area during Thursday night’s Dwight Clark Legacy Series in San Jose, Greenlaw said he’s encouraged by the progress he’s making in his quest to return to the field.
Greenlaw told Britt, “I’m feeling really, really good, but it’s a long, slow process.” “To be honest, I’m glad I can walk on stage. About three months have passed since the injury, and I recently removed the boot. Rehab should be done gradually each day in order to regain strength, mobility, and the ability to play as soon as feasible. Greenlaw responded to Britt’s question on how he handled the initial phase of his rehabilitation by saying it had been difficult at times and had made him feel upset.
“It was definitely some hard, hard times,” said Greenlaw. “Thankfully I had my son and my fiance with me to support me through those times. I was getting a lot of phone calls and people checking up, but after about a week that dies down and you’re just kind of laying in bed. Every now and then you’ll get a memory or a thought about the game and try not to think about it too much, just kind of try to put it past you. Every now and then you start just thinking about everything and thinking about where you’re at and it does get a little emotional sometimes.”
I simply cannot stop myself. Nobody is going to do it for me if I give up. You just have to keep going.” The coveted 2024 Dwight Clark Award, which goes to the 49ers player who most embodies Clark’s attitude of cooperation and friendship, was given to Greenlaw. The two 49ers linebackers exchanged a sweet embrace on stage as Fred Warner, who was awarded the same accolade in 2023, gave Greenlaw the trophy.
Although Greenlaw’s exact comeback date is unknown, the 26-year-old is committed to completing his rehabilitation in order to rejoin the 49ers and help them win the sixth Vince Lombardi trophy—which San Francisco almost missed three months ago.