J.J. Weaver is fully healthy after offseason surgery

J.J. Weaver surprised many when he announced a return for a sixth season in December. The Louisville (Ky.) Moore product has played 1,994 defensive snaps in his career with 48 career games played and 29 starting assignments. Weaver has accumulated 165 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, seven pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions during his career in Lexington. Despite the production, Weaver wanted to get healthy before making the jump to the National Football League.

The former four-star recruit has had to battle through injuries during his Kentucky career. Weaver tore his ACL on Thanksgiving weekend in 2020 and rushed to return to the field in 2021. After entering the 2022 season fully healthy, Weaver suffered an elbow injury in Week 3. The outside linebacker would only miss two games before returning to the lineup. However, Weaver has not been fully healthy since that injury was suffered against Youngstown State.

“Last year I was dealing with my elbow injury and that’s why I really wanted to come back. I got surgery in January,” Weaver told reporters on Saturday. “I’m back, I’m healthy.”

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Kentucky’s two-time captain tried to play through that injury without having surgery last season. The veteran decided to fix that issue with surgery in the offseason and is now full-go. J.J. Weaver is hoping that this new clean bill of health will lead to big things on the field during his super senior season. Weaver is now locked in on this season as one of the leaders on Kentucky’s defense.

“This is my job. I take this seriously. Same routine. Make sure I’m OK. Make sure my body healthy,” said Weaver. “Make sure I attack the day every day.”