Getty Alex Anzalone before a Lions game with the Steelers in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have endured an injury-plagued finish to the 2021 season, losing multiple big names and key players on the field. The latest addition to that list was linebacker Alex Anzalone.
This week, it was revealed that Anzalone would be shelved for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury and would not return to one of Detroit’s final games of 2021 over the last three weeks of the year. As a result, Detroit’s depth is even more thin at a key defensive spot on the field.
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Even in spite of that, though, spirits remain high for one of Detroit’s leaders on the field and off. Though being lost for the rest of a season could be bad news for a player, Anzalone isn’t letting the bad news get him down whatsoever. As he tweeted, all is well, and he loves his team as well as his city.
If there’s a concern here, it’s that Anzalone has had a history of shoulder injuries before, but to hear that all is well from the player himself is certainly good news for Detroit. Potentially, the team is electing to shut him down as a precaution to prevent any more serious injury from taking hold.
Anzalone’s Play Earning Him 2022 Look With Lions
A free agent again in 2022, the Lions have seen some solid play out of Anzalone this year. Though he won’t get a shot to finish strong, his statistics are already on a solid footing this year with the team pushing toward the end of the season. Before injury, Anzalone had put up 78 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception with the Lions in 2021 and was a veteran leader for the team’s defense under Aaron Glenn. More than that, he’s been a quality addition to the community and the locker room as this interview with DetroitLions.com showed from earlier this year:
Anzalone might have found his perfect fit in Detroit, and as a result, his play and his attitude may have earned him another year with the team.
Anzalone’s Career Stats & Highlights
Coming into the NFL as a third-round pick out of Florida in 2017, it didn’t take Anzalone long to make his presence felt with the Saints and become one of the team’s fan favorites. With his flowing locks and tough style, Anzalone managed to put up decent stats with the Saints and has 123 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 3 passes defended to his credit while in the league. If there’s been one red flag about Anzalone’s career at this point in time, it’s been injuries. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2017 and then was placed on the IR in 2019 with a knee injury.
Clearly, though, there has been plenty to like here for the Lions. At just 26, Anzalone comes to the Lions on a prove-it contract, and is someone that can help lay the groundwork for a turnaround on defense. He knew Dan Campbell as well as Aaron Glenn, so there is some good familiarity for the team and Anzalone to rely on for this signing and it’s future.
A look at the highlights from his first few seasons in the NFL shows an athlete who can move:
Those highlights are similar to what Anzalone has provided the Lions in a short time this season. As a result, it would not be a shock to see the team prioritize a reunion this offseason. Based on his recent words, Anzalone himself would seem to love just that.
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