SURREY, B.C. – Solomon Elimimian was worried his career might be over.
The standout linebacker for the B.C. Lions ruptured his Achilles tendon in August against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and immediately pondered the worst.
“You hear all the stories, you hear about the guys that don’t come back,” said Elimimian. “It’s uncharted territory.”
The 2014 CFL most outstanding player was at the Lions’ suburban practice facility on Tuesday to get checked out by the team’s medical staff, and told reporters afterwards that he will be ready for training camp.
“One thing I realized about this injury is it’s how hard you fight back,” said Elimimian. “You’ve got to stay on top of it. I didn’t really understand it until the process that I’m going through. It’s a daily thing. Every day I’m doing something. Every night before I go to bed I’m doing something.
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“It’s one of those things where if you want to come back you can, (but) if you don’t put 100 per cent in it, you won’t.”
To help ease his mind, Elimimian got in touch in with a number of players who have dealt with the same injury, including Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant.
“Everybody’s bodies react differently,” said the University of Hawaii product. “A lot of things have to fall into place, but so far I feel like I’m ahead of the curve.”
Also the league’s top defender in the 2014, the 29-year-old has been rehabbing in Carson, Calif., at the same facility used by the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.
“The most difficult thing about (the injury) is it challenges you mentally. If you’re a lazy person you’re not going to come back from it,” he said. “You can see why guys don’t come back from it because you have to stay on it. It’s in the forefront of your mind throughout the day.”
Elimimian — who led the CFL with 143 defensive tackles and 151 total tackles, both CFL records, in 2014 to go along with five sacks — said his days have consisted of about 3 1/2 hours of work on his Achilles alone before moving onto football-related training.
“It’s an all-day process,” he said. “I just thank God and my mom for letting me stay at home with her for free.”
Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono wasn’t as clear when asked if he expects Elimimian back on the field at the start of camp, but the Lions will need him if they’re going to rebound after last season’s 7-11 campaign.
“The good thing is it’s Feb. 9,” said Buono. “Solly feels really comfortable with where he’s at and where he’s going.”
For his part, Elimimian said he’s excited to once again suit up for Buono, who returns to the sidelines for the first time since 2011 after Jeff Tedford opted out of his contract in December.
“There’s a level of comfort that Wally brings. You know what he expects,” said Elimimian. “One thing that I remember is he has one rule: play hard. If you don’t, you won’t be here. You have respect for somebody when the lines are clear, that challenges you.”
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