Tony Rojas walked into the locker room after practice on September 30 with disbelief echoing in his mind-“there’s no way.” Yet, reality hit hard when he found himself undergoing surgery two weeks later to repair a torn ACL, sidelining him for the remainder of Penn State’s 2025 season.
“That was probably the hardest mental break I've ever had in my life,” Rojas reflected. “But people were there supporting me, and it was a good lesson for me to sit back and just see that from an outside perspective.”
Rojas’ injury marked the beginning of a tumultuous period for the Nittany Lions, coinciding with a loss to UCLA and the subsequent firing of head coach James Franklin. Penn State spiraled, losing six consecutive games.
Despite the upheaval, Rojas stood by Franklin, expressing support on social media as Franklin transitioned to Virginia Tech. However, leaving Penn State was never an option for Rojas, even with the Hokies in his home state of Virginia.
“It came down to not really wanting to go anywhere else and kind of settle in … It just felt like home,” Rojas explained. “And I didn’t want to be in the predicament where once I graduate, it's awkward to go back to the college where I go for a year, and knowing that I can come back here anytime, it’s a good feeling.”
Though other schools pursued him, Rojas’ commitment to Penn State was unwavering. With his future decided, his focus shifted entirely to rehabilitation. He’s determined to be ready for the summer, with hopes of returning by the end of spring practice.
The rehab journey hasn’t been easy. Rojas admits the process is grueling and repetitive, yet he’s been “crushing” it with determination.
“I'll catch myself some days just not really wanting to go in because it's repetitive, but I’m past that,” he shared. “And just having Alex, the trainer, in there, very helpful, and he's done a lot of ACLs, so just having the mindset of fighting through it every day, because it gets repetitive and they can get boring, but if you don't do it from that perspective, it'll be all good.”
Rojas has also sought advice from former Nittany Lion, now Tennessee Titan, Kevin Winston Jr., who faced a similar ACL injury in 2024. Winston’s reassurance that he feels even better now has inspired Rojas.
To maintain a positive mindset, Rojas turns to podcasts, YouTube videos, and articles, finding them beneficial in staying motivated.
With the mental hurdles behind him, Rojas is now focused on building relationships with new teammates and coaches. He’s optimistic about the new era at Penn State and confident in the team’s ability to rebound from last year’s challenges.
“We're all getting along,” Rojas said. “We still have a long way to go, but we'll have summer, and once spring ball hits, I feel like our bond and the puzzle pieces will finally start falling together. So I'm excited for that.”