Miraculous is the only way to describe Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers' return from a torn Achilles last season.
Akers blew out the tendon before the season but somehow returned for the Rams' Super Bowl run. Not only did the 22-year-old come back from an injury that usually wipes out a year with rehab, but he also led the Rams on their four-game postseason run to the Lombardi Trophy.
According to Akers, though, the Super Bowl lacked some gravitas because he wasn't at his personal peak.
"I don't feel like I played the best games throughout that time span, so there wasn't really a lot of celebrating for me," he said Thursday, via the Los Angeles Times. "It was more, 'How can I get better?'"
Akers returned for the regular-season finale, taking five carries for three yards. But his comeback wasn't simply a token appearance for a well-liked player. Sean McVay rode Akers as his lead back throughout the postseason run. Akers led the Rams in rushing through their four playoff games, netting 67 rushes for 172 yards.
Still, he isn't satisfied.
"I don't feel like I played my best games the five games I returned, but I did what I was supposed to do," Akers said. "But obviously that's not enough."
Sure, Akers lacked some burst and got stymied at the line while averaging just 2.57 yards per attempt in the playoffs, but given what he went through just to come back so quickly, it's dadgum impressive he played such a big role in a Super Bowl run.
In Akers' mind, it's all about 2022 now, not the Lombardi Trophy already won.
"I got a lot to improve on, a lot to polish up on when it comes to my game," he said. "So, this offseason I've been hitting all of those deficits trying to get better."
As he was last offseason before the injury, Akers is expected to be the workhorse back in McVay's backfield. A slasher with speed in space and power in close quarters with pass-catching ability, Akers is the ideal three-down weapon for the Rams' offense. He'll have a huge role in 2022, with Darrell Henderson projected as the backup.
