Penn State's Tony Rojas Gets Positive Progress Report Toward 2026 Return

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State linebacker Tony Rojas had 25 tackles through four games last season and looked to be on pace for a career year. However, in the week leading up to the UCLA game, Rojas sustained a torn ACL in practice, causing him to miss the rest of 2025.

Rojas had to miss spring ball during his rehab as well, but he’s now participating in summer workouts. During Penn State’s annual Lift for Life fundraising event on July 1, he competed in strength and conditioning drills alongside his teammates.

Heading into the 2026 season, Rojas is a projected key piece on defense and was one of the more important retention wins for the Nittany Lions this offseason. Reid Kagy, Penn State’s director of football strength and conditioning, commended Rojas for his efforts in working back from the injury.

“Tony's done a great job, and Tony’s progressing,” Kagy said at Lift For Life. “I'm proud of Tony.”

Even though Rojas didn’t practice during the spring. Kagy said he still made an impact. As Penn State ushered in a new era with Matt Campbell, Rojas thrived as a relationship-builder.

"Tony has done an unbelievable job," Campbell said after spring practice. "I don't know if I could be prouder of what his work has looked like, what he's done behind the scenes in terms of both his rehab and leadership in our football program."

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas at the team's 23rd annual Lift For Life event at Holuba Hall in State College. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While Rojas was one of three returning linebackers this offseason, the Nittany Lions added 55 new players. The linebacker room saw additions as part of that change, bringing in Iowa State transfers Caleb Bacon, Kooper Ebel, Cael Brezina and John Klosterman and West Virginia transfer Chris Fileppo.

“Tony was making a big impact behind the scenes,” Kagy said. “He was creating relationships. He's helping the other linebackers get through the defense, he's learning, he's in the meeting rooms and all those things. He's making an impact by impacting others.”

Rojas is a two-year starter for Penn State, playing through an injury during his sophomore year before getting healthy for 2025. He started the 2025 season with a two-sack game against Villanova and seven tackles vs. Oregon.

But his year was cut short during a Tuesday practice four days before Penn State faced the Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 4. UCLA stunned the Nittany Lions 42-37, in large part because Penn State could not stop quarterback Nico Iamaleava's run game.

“I feel like it was a blessing and a curse at the same time,” Rojas said in February of his injury. “I feel like everything happens for a reason. That's how I look at it. And God has his plan, and I'm not gonna rush anything that's not meant to be.

“So obviously it sucked, but it is what it is, and I can look forward as of now. But what happened after, just the season, it was kind of a weird feeling — not just playing, but just seeing what was happening with the losses and coach [James] Franklin [being fired] … I think we'll be back better than people expect.”

Kagy said that it would be tough for any player to have to sit out and watch his teammates play. As Rojas continues his return from injury, he’s expected to be good to go for the season-opener against Marshall on Sept. 5.

While Rojas could only be back on the practice field beginning with summer workouts, the impacts he made in building team chemistry throughout the spring were still noticed by Penn State.

“What's great about Tony is I don't think he cared if anybody saw the impact that he was making or not,” Kagy said. “He cared if this team felt that impact, and he was able to make that impact throughout the spring.”

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas participates in the 23rd annual Lift for Life at Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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