Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty’s season appeared in doubt to much of the outside world after he went down in pain during a training camp practice on Aug. 23.
While fans anxiously refreshed social media feeds waiting for news of his fate, the second-year star just needed to catch his breath.
“As soon as I got off the practice field and took a second to relax, I knew I was going to be all right,” Jeanty said while eating lunch in front of his locker on Thursday afternoon. “I knew it was messed up, but I figured it wasn’t going to be anything too bad.”
Jeanty is on track to play Sunday in the season opener against the Dolphins after getting in full practice sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
The fact he is unlikely to miss any game action after enduring an anxious situation — which briefly left the practice field and had teammates on a knee looking to the heavens — is a huge positive for an organization that will almost certainly be without star tight end Brock Bowers to start the season.
Jeanty said he appreciated the boost he got from the team in the moments after he went to the turf following a collision while he was trying to catch a pass out of the backfield.
“It’s a great thing (to have that support),” he said. “The faith of our coach and teammates all coming together is a beautiful thing. God is good.”
Jeanty admits he was fearful as he lay on the ground uncertain of his fate. He had a great offseason and has expressed excitement about how well he might fit in new coach Klint Kubiak’s system.
The opportunity is there for Jeanty to put up massive numbers after a rookie season in which his level of play far surpassed his mediocre stats playing behind an overmatched offensive line. But some feared his sophomore season might be over before it ever got a chance to get started.
“It’s a little nerve-racking when you first go down, obviously,” he said. “But when I popped up I had a sigh of relief because I knew it wasn’t anything too bad, even though I couldn’t put pressure on my foot.”
Still, speculation ran rampant about whether there could be a fracture or even a serious knee injury.
It wasn’t until several hours later the first reports surfaced that Jeanty had escaped with a low-ankle sprain from which he should make a full recovery.
Jeanty said he knew right away he’d be back for Week 1, but he did allow his mind to wander.
“Any time you have an injury, you think about how much worse it could have been,” he said. “It just gives you perspective. So of course, you’re glad it’s something light.”
Now his focus is strictly on the field and, in particular, a matchup against a Miami team that should provide plenty of opportunity for success.
The first step was getting back on the practice field the last two days for the first time since the injury.
“It felt good for sure,” he said. “Any time away from the game is tough. But getting back out there with the guys felt good for sure.
“I’m just super excited to go out there and play a good game with this team against the Dolphins. I’m very excited.”
The team is equally thrilled to have one of its stars back in the mix.
“We’re happy to have Ashton back on the field, get him ready to go,” offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko said. “He comes out with that big smile on his face, the energy he brings to this offense and to this organization is undeniable. So, just happy to have him back out working.”
That’s what Jeanty has done the entire offseason. He wasn’t thrilled with how his rookie season went, more from a team perspective than his personal stats.
He came from a winning program at Boise State, so the misery of a 3-14 season was a fairly new experience.
Jeanty got to work on all the small details that will help him contribute to turning around the fate of the organization. He sharpened up his nutrition and fitness routine and has his body in a good place.
“Also, pass protection,” he said. “Just being a better blocker and giving the quarterback time. Then, as a receiver, running routes either out of the backfield or wherever they might put me without saying too much.”
But Jeanty was drafted in the top 10 last year to run the ball. He expects to be able to do that with confidence on Sunday.
That seemed like a long shot less than a month ago.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
