Revaitailized: After weighing retirement, Lions’ Vaitai eager to prove he has more to give

4 comments

1. “After surgery, I was like, ‘Let me just rest. Let me just enjoy this time,'” Vaitai said. “And then when I started training again, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not ready to retire yet.”

   Vaitai doesn’t exactly know what happened with his back. The injury came on suddenly, during the team’s third preseason game, and required surgery shortly thereafter. He also wasn’t able to explain the corrective procedure, only acknowledging it didn’t involve fusion and he knows that the doctors “went in and took something out.”

   … it was the first time he lifted weights that he knew he wanted to continue his career.

   Of course, doing so in Detroit wasn’t a lock. After battling injuries … the two sides had to come to an agreement on a pay cut that would keep him in a Lions uniform in 2023.

   “I can’t leave all my guys,” Vaitai said. “I can’t leave them. I love this team a lot. I’m going to help (coach) Dan (Campbell) win one.”

   … Returning to Detroit, where he’s spent the past three seasons, was important to Vaitai. He’s built a strong bond with the team’s other offensive linemen, particularly Penei Sewell. The veteran has served as a key mentor to the 2021 first-round pick, a rapidly rising star.

   Vaitai will have the opportunity to mentor another young lineman this year, Detroit’s fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal …

   “I’m trying to give him all the things I’ve known and the knowledge I’ve known over the years, so that way I can help him,” Vaitai said. “So when his time is ready, he should be prepared. … I love (mentoring). I love when guys come up and ask questions. I just try to calm them down, because this is all new to them. I was a rookie once, and I asked questions all the time.”

2. Dang, Big V seems like a genuinely nice dude. Hopefully he stays healthy and crushes it for us.

3. Back injuries are weird and come out of no where most of the time. He is dominant in the run game so I’m happy to have him back for at least one more season

4. Damn that quote about staying with his guys. MCDC really building something special.