Inside The Huskies

Lions Unsure Whether Onwuzurike Will Overcome Back Issues

The NFL franchise is hopeful the former Husky will regain his health following surgery.
Dan Raley|
Lions Unsure Whether Onwuzurike Will Overcome Back Issues
Lions Unsure Whether Onwuzurike Will Overcome Back Issues

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Washington Huskies

Levi Onwuzurike didn't miss any time as a University of Washington defensive tackle, appearing in 39 of a possible 40 games.

However, his NFL career has not been accommodating to him at all.

Onwuzurike missed the entire 2022 season for the Detroit Lions with a back injury, this after he was forced to play through pain over 16 games as a rookie.

Now after he had surgery six months ago, the Lions are hopeful for a speedy Onwuzurike return, but can't offer any guarantees. 

"We talked to him a couple of weeks ago, he was doing good, [and] the rehab has gone well,” Campbell said. “But you just don’t know. You don’t know with a back. But I mean certainly, he’s going to get an opportunity if the body will allow it.”

Onwuzurike played in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons for the UW, healthy enough that the defensive lineman from Texas would become a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and a second-round pick and 40th overall for the Lions

He sat out the 2020 football season during the COVID pandemic outbreak and prepared for the NFL draft, which should have left him in top physical shape. 

However, once he joined the Lions, Onwuzurike began experiencing disc issues in his back during training camp and has had issues ever since. 

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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