Cincinnati Bengals tight end Erick All Jr. has found a unique source of confidence in his recovery from ACL injuries: being hit by a truck.
During a vacation in Greece this summer, All was walking along a sidewalk in Athens when a three-wheeled truck swerved to avoid another pedestrian and collided with him. The impact knocked him to the ground, but he quickly got up with only minor scrapes and bruises, experiencing no significant pain.
"I got up and was like, ‘I’m f–king ready, I’m ready,’" All told reporters at Bengals camp. "And it didn’t hurt me at all. But it just kind of gave me that confidence, like, ‘Oh, I’m back.’"
All, who is working his way back from re-tearing his ACL during his rookie season in 2024 and missing the entirety of the past season, admitted that a natural hesitancy can accompany such injuries. However, the experience with the truck served as a potent confirmation that his body was prepared for the physical demands of professional football.
"That did a lot of good things for the mental, I’m telling you," All said. "Because that’s what I do. I’m here for the physicality, and so, you know, after not playing for a while, and I got smacked by that thing, and I got up, ‘I’m like, that’s as big of a hit that anybody could give.’ That’s the first time I ever got pancaked, ever, and so I’m like, ‘If I can take that, I’m good.’ I’m usually the hammer."
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor has frequently praised All's physicality. "He loves football, and he loves the physical portion of football," Taylor said earlier this summer. "The word ‘physical’ in the dictionary is a picture of Erick All trying to put his face through somebody’s soul, and that’s the best way I can describe him."
While All is medically cleared and participating in training camp, coaches have advised him to temper his intensity as he reintegrates into full practice. All, however, appears undeterred, seeing the truck incident as a clear indicator of his readiness.