Junior Galette was in the lineup for the Redskins in their Sunday game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The athlete’s debut was a long-awaited event for many fans, and it could be argued that Galette didn’t do too badly. A study of the NFL Football Betting odds and lines will tell you that Junior Galette played as well as anyone expected. However, some people expected a little more from him, and Galette came out and said he still had so much more to give. That says something about his spirit.
He has a drive that Coach Jay Gruden is likely to appreciate in the long run. The Redskins’ coach was signing autographs after the walk-through on Saturday at Joint Base Andrews when he jokingly asked Galette if he would play on Sunday.
One assumes it was a joke based on Gruden’s tone and the atmosphere. But maybe Galette took it a little more seriously. Maybe it got him wondering whether he had the strength necessary to add value to his team.
Junior Galette had a rough 2015 and 2016. He suffered two Achilles injuries that ended two whole seasons of his career. The man was then forced to contend with a hamstring issue early on that saw him miss the first two games of the preseason.
Galette could have easily skipped out on the Sunday game because of his hamstring problem. Probably no one would have given him a hard time. After all, football is a physical sport and no one would fault him for not wanting to expose his body to unnecessary harm.
One assumes that maybe Galette thought he had something to prove because he finally made his appearance at the FedEx Field on Sunday, bringing his two-year hiatus to an end.
Galette was pretty excited in the moments leading up to the game. He enjoyed getting back into the process of preparing and taking the bus and eating that last meal before the game.
The last two years have been difficult for the athlete. And it isn’t just because of the big games he never got to play. Galette has missed many of the small moments. He fondly remembers the camaraderie he built with his colleagues and the time he spent warming up on the field.
The Sunday game gave Galette the chance to soak it all in and to get reacquainted with the game he loves and the team he adores. It is no wonder he chose to play through his hamstring issues, eventually finishing with a quarterback hit and two combined tackles.
Everyone thought he looked good on the field. And while he was definitely exhilarated by the opportunity to play again, Galette admits that he wasn’t at his best. His hamstring issues kept him from going all out.
The athlete believes that his speed and agility suffered because he wasn’t willing to plant his leg hard enough for fear of exacerbating the hamstring injury. But Galette is determined to show everyone that he can be a productive pass rusher like before.
His body might be betraying him but Galette still has his mind. He also knows that he has the support and trust of his coach and his teammates. This gives Galette the confidence to keep working until he can deliver on everyone’s expectations.