In the 2022 football season, Jordyn Brooks was having a breakout season as starting middle linebacker, recording 161 (6th NFL) combined tackles until he tore his ACL in his right knee in a game versus the New York Jets on January 1st, 2023. Having an injury like this at this point in the season can be nothing short of overwhelming for the rehabilitation back to NFL football averages 8-10 months, often taking a full year. This means that a January ACL repair will allow a player back on the field to START training in August, so missing games is inevitable considering reconditioning and football specific training. Facing a contract year in 2023, Jordyn had the goal to play in every game of the 2023 season, less than 8 months after surgery. Of course, there were multiple challenges that Jordyn needed to overcome. Besides the mental and physical obstacles to return, he had to understand himself and what he needed to get this done. He had to create an environment for himself that minimized his weaknesses and maximized his strengths. When he returned to Seattle in July he was ready to start training. Jordyn returned to the field for the team’s opening game of the 2023 season. His uncanny effort earned him a unanimous vote to be co-winner for the 2023 Ed Block Courage Award in Seattle.
Trials and tribulations come our way and we often need to lean on others to help us through them. This is what Jamal and Jordyn did. They rehabbed together nearly every day. Each one motivating the other. Both of them overcoming the challenges of demotivation, physical and mental pain, and the uncertainty of the future. Without each other, there is no doubt the journeys that they were on would have been infinitely more difficult. It for these reasons that they were voted co-winners of the 2023 Ed Block Courage Award.