Seahawks LB Jordyn Brooks playing at ‘pretty remarkable’ level after ACL injury

RENTON — For Seattle Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks, there was never any doubt that he was going to make it back in time for this season. 

Others may have had their doubts after Brooks tore his right ACL in the Seahawks’ 23-6 win over the Jets on New Year’s Day, but the 26-year-old got to work on his comeback immediately. Now less than 10 months removed from surgery, Brooks is once again one of the top linebackers in football. 

Brooks had surgery to repair the knee on Jan. 19, and the outlook for his return was uncertain at first. Head coach Pete Carroll expressed optimism that Brooks might be able to make it back in time for the 2023 season, but described his rehab as “a hard race against time.”

ACL injuries typically take about nine months to fully recover from, but Brooks was back on the practice field in less than eight. He was ready to go for Seattle’s Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams and hasn’t missed a beat since. 

Not only is he back on the field — he’s as good as he has ever been. 

Brooks is credited with 77 combined tackles so far this season, 13th-most in the NFL. He is also second on the team behind Bobby Wagner with 43 solo tackles, and leads the Seahawks with seven tackles for loss. 

“[Brooks] has played the best football he’s played for us, and he’s always been a highlight play,” Carroll said. “He’s always got the big plays and the running and the hitting, he can do everything. He’s got all of the skills and the packages to do everything, but he’s been his best.”

Brooks has been a tackling machine for the Seahawks since he was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. After putting up 57 tackles his rookie season, Brooks set the Seahawks single-season record with 184 tackles in 2021, shattering Wagner’s previous team record of 167.

He finished with 161 tackles last season despite missing the team’s Week 18 game against L.A., and is on pace for 165 this year. Considering where he was just a few months ago, Brooks’ performance this season has been nothing short of stunning. 

“It’s been an amazing journey,” Wagner said. “I think where he’s at right now is pretty remarkable, if you ask me. Most people don’t come back from injury like that, especially playing at a high level. It was almost as if he didn’t get hurt. He grew as a football player. You use that time to understand the game a little bit more, and it’s allowing him to play faster. He’s playing really fast, making a lot of splash plays, making a lot of impact plays. He’s a great linebacker.”

With so many young players seeing significant playing time for Seattle, Brooks and Wagner have been a bright spot and a steadying force for the defense. In any given game, one of them will likely lead the team in tackles, while providing needed leadership for the young squad. 

Brooks led the team with 10 tackles in Seattle’s blowout 37-3 loss to Baltimore, with Wagner close behind with nine. Brooks stepped into a leadership role on the defense in Wagner’s absence last season as the Seahawks adapted to new defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt’s scheme, but he is happy to cede the spotlight to the 33-year-old Wagner once again. 

“We’ve got a lot of young guys, you need that voice,” Brooks said. “Even myself, I’m kind of in-between a vet and a young guy who just turned 26, so I still look up to him and respect everything he does from a leadership standpoint. He’s been great for me.”

Along with valuable mentorship, Wagner is also providing Brooks with some friendly competition. Wagner is currently fifth in the NFL with 85 tackles, seven ahead of Brooks and on pace for 181 this season — a hair’s-breadth away from breaking Brooks’ single-season mark and reclaiming the record. 

While he wants to keep his record, Brooks isn’t stressing too much about it. After all, one big game could put him back in the hunt. 

“There’s always gonna be a competition,” Brooks said. “The central theme of the program is also definitely competition, but it’s a friendly competition. There’s not any envy or jealousy or anything like that. If he breaks it, great. If I break it, great. We always compete, for sure.”

For Brooks, one blessing that came from the first major injury of his football career was a greater awareness of his body. While he always worked hard in training, going through an arduous rehab process kept him even more tuned in to what was going on. 

“I definitely had to stay on top of rehab,” Brooks said. “You know, taking care of my body more, being more aware. Like whenever there is a nag or something, you’re right on it. That’s made a big difference.”

When he first came back, his teammates and coaches were amazed that Brooks had managed to return in such quick fashion. But Brooks isn’t the least bit surprised by what he accomplished in the past 10 months. While there were some moments of despair in the immediate aftermath of the injury, Brooks was certain that he’d beat the doctor’s expectations of nine months to a year away from the football field.

Halfway through the season, Brooks’ performance has made it clear that even something as serious as a torn ACL can’t slow him down for long.

“I really never had any doubts,” Brooks said. ”… Did I know that I’d come back this fast? I’d be lying if I said that. I didn’t know until honestly the summertime, when it got close. But I always have faith that everything will work out.”