Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe is returning to practice after back surgery sidelined him for training camp and the preseason. He’s recovered much quicker than originally anticipated, and head coach Andy Reid believes his two-time Pro Bowler could be available for Week 1.
ESPN’s Adam Teicher reported on this surprising development.
Andy Reid said Dontari Poe will start practice this week. Said the Pro Bowl nose tackle has chance to play… http://t.co/YcNIBiGrGK
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) September 7, 2015
One of the true freaks of nature in the NFL, the mammoth defensive tackle has developed from a raw prospect coming out of Memphis into one of the league’s most devastating interior linemen over the course of the past three seasons.
After a rocky rookie campaign, Poe racked up 10.5 sacks and 81 tackles for the Chiefs the past two seasons. It was expected that he’d continue ascending in his fourth year, but things didn’t go according to plan this offseason.
He injured his back during spring workouts and then re-aggravated it at home, which prompted surgery to repair a herniated disc in July. At that time, it was thought Poe could maybe return early in the season.
However, as we so often see these days, thanks to the advances in modern medicine, Poe’s recovery has been swift. How he performs in practice this week will determine his availability for Week 1’s matchup against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Sept. 13.