Ifeatu Melifonwu reveals extent of injury that further derailed his season.
As his fourth NFL season comes to a close, injuries have unfortunately dominated the year for Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. This season has been particularly tough, starting with an ankle injury during the preseason that seemed serious enough to put him on injured reserve earlier but instead kept him sidelined until mid-November.
Then, a finger injury arose, pushing him back onto IR before he was finally able to make his season debut in Week 14 against the Chicago Bears. Once back, Melifonwu quickly earned a significant role, playing over 70 percent of the Lions’ defensive snaps in two of the last three games. His versatility has also shone through, as he has split his 136 snaps between free safety (53 snaps), box safety (48 snaps), slot corner (30 snaps), and outside corner (4 snaps), much like he did during a strong finish to the previous season.
Melifonwu explained the details of his finger injury when speaking to reporters on Thursday, saying, “It was a pretty bad dislocation in practice. They couldn’t just pop it back in, so I had to undergo surgery.”
The back-to-back injuries have been understandably frustrating for him. “It was very frustrating,” he admitted. “But I kept my faith and had my family and friends around me to keep me positive. It was tough, especially after starting my return and then having a freak injury set me back again.”
It’s been a challenging contract year for Melifonwu, but he is focused on staying healthy for the crucial games ahead, knowing that will be key as he heads into free agency. However, he emphasized that he is not thinking about his contract situation. “I’m not focused on that. Every game is important, but I’m just thinking about doing what I can each week to help the team and play at my best.”
The Lions’ decision to re-sign Melifonwu this offseason is uncertain, with his performance in the postseason likely to influence the outcome. His play in the final games could also affect the level of interest from other teams.
