BYU Ty Detmer Best WR Commit Stuns College Football World with Decision to Flip and Join Ohio State Reject Gators, Arizona Tennessee
BYU Ty Detmer Best WR Commit Stuns College Football World with Decision to Flip and Join Ohio State Reject Gators, Arizona Tennessee
If you look closely at the 33-year-old’s eyes, you will notice the area around his right eye still doesn’t align perfectly with the left.
But what you mostly see in those eyes is resilience.
In the offseason, the Ravens were the only team that expressed interest in signing him. Now? Van Noy has the fourth most sacks in the NFL, and his 11 hard seasons could be a case study in how the league fails to take advantage of players’ gif
ts.
One of his coaches told him they didn’t know where to play him.
Core muscle surgery during his rookie season was another obstacle. In Year 2, Van Noy remained a backup — in his words, a “demoralized and depressed” backup. While driving to practice in his truck, he often was in tears.
Then came a herniated disc. Doctors pushed for spinal surgery, and injured reserve looked like a certainty, but after a week of rehab with an outside trainer, Van Noy was healthy enough to play.
But to a jaded, impatient fandom, he was already a bust. The frustration led him to consider retiring.
In his third season, Van Noy finally became a starter for the Lions. Then after seven games, he was crushed to learn they were trading him — giving up on him, really. All they were getting in return was a sixth-round pick. And they had to throw in a s
eventh.
