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 When Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan drops back to pass at the Senior Bowl tomorrow in Mobile, Alabama, one couldn’t blame Eric Decker if he closed his eyes for a second and imagined himself making a spectacular catch displaying his hands, body control and concentration—with the scouts on hand to witness. Unfortunately for Decker a season-ending injury robbed him of the opportunity to be invited to the Senior Bowl to showcase his skills.
“Definitely!” Decker answered when we asked him if it was frustrating knowing he could be playing on Saturday if he were healthy. “As a competitor, you want to showcase your talent against the best and being unable to participate in the practices or game is frustrating...though I realize my goal at this time is getting healthy and moving in the right direction.”
When the University of Minnesota star wide receiver hurt his foot during the Gophers’ 2009 season, he wasn’t sure how badly he was injured. Unfortunately for him the injury turned out to be a lisfranc sprain, which ended his season and required surgery.
His injury occurred during the Gophers’ game at Ohio State while running a route that required him to cut quickly toward the sideline. At first he thought one of his cleats broke off, but the sensation he received in his foot after putting pressure on it suggested otherwise.
Astoundingly, it still took Decker over a week to figure out what the injury was. “For about a week-week and a half I was trying to decide what the actual injury was and how severe it was. The next step was to find a doctor to do it. There were about four or five guys that we sent all of my x-rays, CAT Scans, and MRI’s out to, to get kind of a consensus of what needed to be done, surgery wise,” Decker explained.
After deliberation he decided on specialist Dr. Robert Anderson out of Charlotte, North Carolina. “I felt most comfortable with Dr. Anderson in North Carolina just because he’s kind of the full-ankle specialist of the NFL…So I flew down in early November and got it taken care of.” The surgery consisted of placing a plate, approximately three inches long and two inches wide, alongside the first metatarsal bone with a single screw going through the plate and first and second metatarsal bones in his mid-foot to hold them in place.
 It has been three months since the surgery and the rehab process is moving along slowly but surely. “I just got out of the boot about a week ago. I was kind of weaning in and out of it. Now I’m doing a lot of stuff with shoes on, which has been great. I’m telling you, it’s been the best feeling to get out of that boot and be able to walk around. I still am cautious with weight-bearing stuff so I’m not doing any lower-body workouts; I’m doing all of the upper-body stuff. I’m doing a lot of controlled motions and movements with my physical therapist. I’m not running or jogging or doing any of that work with the other guys outside, but I’m definitely working my way towards that and I feel very comfortable and very confident where I’m at so far.” Decker says while sounding upbeat. After losing weight post-surgery, he is back at his playing weight of 220 pounds thanks to his workout regimen at Athletes Performance in Arizona.
Not only will he miss the Senior Bowl this coming Saturday, but he will also be very limited at both the combine and Minnesota’s Pro Day. However, that won’t keep him from attending and participating in both tryouts. Decker explains, “For the combine I’m going to attend it. I won’t do any of the ground-work, like footwork and speed work stuff. I’ll do the 225-pound upper-body lift, I’ll do the psychological testing and the interviews with the teams, and obviously have a physical…I’ll also be home for the pro-day, but I wont be ready yet, running-wise. So I’m comfortable knowing that I won’t be able to workout on the ground, but hopefully I put enough film out there to get evaluated and get a chance.”
He does, however, remain confident that he will be able to participate in some catching drills at his pro-day, along with interviews and board work with coaches and scouts. Thus far, he has not scheduled any private workouts nor has any team been in direct contact with him, but they have been in contact with his agent.
Despite all of the healing and rehabbing he has done to this point, he won’t be in the clear anytime soon as another surgery is on the horizon. “Right after my pro-day, March 15th, which is my birthday, I’m getting surgery again. It will be good to get that taken care of and get that screw and plate taken out. Then I’m on my way to being 100 percent.” Dr. Anderson recommended that the plate and screw be taken out so that Eric could have better flexibility and mobility through the mid-foot. If all goes according to plan, Decker expects to be back at full-strength by July.
*The All Access Football ninth annual 2010 NFL Draft Bible Package Is Now Available! Click Here To Learn More… Photos Courtesy of University of Minnesota Athletic Communications
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