The Detroit Lions have taken another tough hit on the injury front. Safety Brian Branch, one of the bright young stars in their secondary, suffered a torn Achilles in Week 14 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Just like that, his 2025 season came to an abrupt end. And while the Lions are still in the thick of a playoff push, they’ll now have to look ahead to next year without knowing exactly when-or how-Branch will return.
The injury occurred in early December, which puts Branch on a timeline that could stretch well into next season. There’s no official word yet on how many games he might miss in 2026, but there is one silver lining: he had surgery not long after the injury.
That’s important. In the world of Achilles tears, getting the procedure done quickly can be a key step toward a smoother and potentially faster recovery.
Once upon a time, a torn Achilles was the kind of injury that could derail a career entirely. It was a long, grueling road back-and not everyone made it.
But modern sports medicine has changed the game. Today, we’re seeing athletes come back faster, stronger, and more consistently than ever before.
One of the reasons for that progress? Surgical advancements like the SpeedBridge technique.
Dave Kempfert, Director of Rehabilitation at the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, recently discussed how this newer procedure has helped some players return to action faster than expected. He emphasized that every injury is different, and treatment choices depend on a range of factors-including the severity and location of the tear, the athlete’s position, and the surgeon’s familiarity with the technique.
Kempfert pointed to the case of Cam Akers, the Rams running back who tore his Achilles during training camp in July 2021. Akers was back on the field by the final week of the regular season-just five and a half months later-and played in all four playoff games en route to a Super Bowl title. That kind of recovery was once unthinkable.
The SpeedBridge procedure, Kempfert explained, allows for a stronger repair with less invasive techniques. That combination can lead to earlier weight-bearing and a quicker start to rehab. In elite athletes, recovery windows of 5-7 months have been seen-though that’s still far from the norm.
As for Branch, it’s not yet clear whether he underwent the SpeedBridge procedure, and we may not find out for a while. But if he did, and if everything lines up-surgical success, high-level rehab, and a bit of good fortune-there’s a chance he could be in the mix for a Week 1 return next season. That’s a big “if,” of course, but it’s not out of the question.
For now, the Lions will move forward without one of their most promising defenders. But they-and Branch-can take some comfort in knowing that modern medicine has changed the outlook for Achilles injuries.
What used to be a career-altering setback is now, in many cases, a detour. A long one, yes-but not a dead end.
The offseason will bring more clarity, but one thing’s for sure: whenever Brian Branch gets back on the field, he’ll be hungry to pick up right where he left off.