GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd says he has leaned on his faith as he deals with the multiple injuries that have kept him off the field for much of his NFL career.
That faith is being tested once again.
The 2024 third-round pick from Southern California played just one game and carried the ball only six times as a rookie due to a variety of injuries. Now he’s dealing with a groin issue that leaves him uncertain about when he will be cleared to practice again.
“Eventually these things will come across and I’ll be able to be exactly who I know I can be,” Lloyd said Thursday. “It will come soon, so I’m excited about it. I’ve got to keep staying in my faith, and everything’s going to roll out the right way.”
The Packers want Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson, whose 502 yards rushing last season ranked second on the team, to provide depth behind Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs. Wilson has his own issues in dealing with a bone bruise in his knee as the Packers prepare for their preseason opener Saturday against the New York Jets.
During his rookie year, Lloyd dealt with injuries to his hamstring and ankle that kept him off the field. He seemed close to coming off injured reserve in November until he started feeling pain in his abdomen, got it checked out and discovered he had appendicitis.
The lessons Lloyd learned during that rookie season have prepared him for this latest setback. Lloyd has also benefited from the set up of the Packers’ new locker room, which has him right next to three-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark.
“A lot of things I’ve been going through haven’t been long-term things,” Lloyd said. “I’ve just got to incorporate different things into my system. Having a guy like Kenny Clark, he told me early in his career, he struggled with some little soft-tissue stuff, so I’ve just been leaning on him a lot, listening to what he’s saying, Pilates, yoga, just different things like that.”
Lloyd’s locker also puts him near Jacobs and All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney. Lloyd says he often reaches out to them for advice as well as learns more about his body and discovers what it’s going to take to stay healthy.
Jacobs says Lloyd remains in high spirits.
“We’re seeing him out there every day running and cutting,” Jacobs said. “He feels good. I think that’s the biggest thing for him. And I think mentally he’s in a way better place than he was last year. He’s understanding what it is and what it takes to play in this league, and he understands there’s sometimes hiccups in the road. We’re there for him whenever he feels like the pressure might be too much or what not. I think he’s going to be all right.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
