Video: Tracy Walker ‘close to being 100%’ after Achilles surgery

The Detroit Lions starting safety Tracy Walker is running and changing direction at pace, just six months after having Achilles surgery.

In the last six months, Detroit Lions captain Tracy Walker has been keeping fans updated on his progress while recovering from Achilles surgery and he has made some impressive strides—literally.

Injured in September (Week 3), Walker began his apparent long road to recovery, but by December, he was already out of his walking boot and in good spirits.

“I just want to let all my people know that’s tuned in, I told y’all the shakeback is real y’all,” Walker said in the Instagram Reel. “Y’all see that? Ain’t no more boot, man. I told y’all, I’m getting right. Y’all heard me? The shakeback is real. Watch.”

About a month later—just four months removed from surgery—Walker once again took to social media to provide an update for fans with the message, “Feels good to run again”, with a video of him running in a straight line.

Two months have passed since then and Walker has remained his upbeat self. On Sunday night we got our latest update of him not only running but showing some impressive stop-and-start skills.

“I’m so close to being a 100%. Stay tuned”, Walker wrote in his Twitter post.

Getting back to full health would be awfully impressive and ahead of the current expected timeline. Just last season, we saw cornerback Jeff Okudah moving quickly through the process, but based on Walker’s videos, he looks to be further along than Okudah was.

Walker had long said his goal was to be ready to return to the field by spring camp, which begins in late May-early June and he appears to be on track. Okudah was able to return to spring camp, and while he was not fully back up to speed, he was physically 100% by fall training camp. If Walker is indeed ahead on his timeline, it’s reasonable to think he may meet his goal by following a similar timeline of returning to the field.