'You Only Have One Shot at This': Deontae Lawson Reflects on Injury Recovery

Losing a starting inside linebacker to a season-ending injury can be detrimental to a defense.

The position is widely regarded as the quarterback of the defensive side of the ball and often wears the green dot, which is an in-helmet device that allows on-field communication with the coaching staff.

Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson handled this responsibility last season, but the 2024 co-captain tore his ACL against Oklahoma in November. He was a candidate for the NFL Draft, but the injury would've likely derailed his stock. So, he decided to return to Alabama for a fifth year and has worked vigorously to return to 100 percent.

Lawson said he was a nine out of 10 health-wise during SEC Media Days in the middle of July and has worn a brace during practice.

I guess you could say [I feel relieved]," Lawson said on Wednesday. "It definitely took a lot of hard work and I'm just happy I was able to persevere and now we're here. Only way to go is bup."

The redshirt senior has been wearing a normal white jersey during practice and not a non-contact uniform. He explained that despite not being 100 percent just yet, he's still doing "basically the same little routine that we've got" and is "getting more comfortable."

"It's a mental thing," Lawson said. "I've just got to trust myself, and when that comes, that just takes time. I feel like as we keep getting deeper and deeper in camp, I'll obviously do more reps to get ready for the game, but right now I'm just staying as fresh as I can and just trying to manage my load as I can."

Lawson said that he's "definitely getting better" mentally and it's most apparent when he's on the field.

"When I'm out there, I'm just rolling, I'm not thinking about too much," Lawson said. "It's definitely a challenge, but it's something that I've pushed to the side a bit and focus on what I can."

The injury allowed the Mobile, Ala., native to learn more about himself ahead of Year 5 with the Crimson Tide and can't wait for the season opener on the road against Florida State on Aug. 30.

"During my recovery process, it just made me think about a lot of things," Lawson said. "Just really reflect on how blessed I am. Just wake up and be able to do this. When I come here, I just try to be the same guy every day.

"I just try to have high energy, impact my teammates and inspire as best I can. That's really all I'm thinking about. I'm just trying to be the best teammate I can be. That comes from my past experiences and I think I'm doing a good job.

"Just going through my injury, it made me realize, 'You only have one shot at this.' You've just got to take every day one day at a time. No matter what's going on or how you feel, you've just got to be your best for the person beside you. That's what I'm trying to do and that's my main goal for this year."