Tracy Walker's emotional comeback culminates with return to Detroit Lions' starting lineup

Tracy Walker is a spiritual man, and as he reflects on everything that has happened in his life over the past year —the torn Achilles tendon he suffered Sept. 25 in a game against the Minnesota Vikings, his tortuous but seamless rehab, losing his starting safety job this summer and his return to the starting lineup this week — he can't help but think something cosmic was at work.

"I believe in God very, very heavily and like I said, I just feel like this is all God’s plan," Walker said Wednesday. "He took me away from the game last year at this time and he’s bringing me back into the game in this situation, so it’s just a great spot to be in and like I said I’m blessed, very blessed."

Walker will make his first start since tearing his Achilles when the Detroit Lions (1-1) host the Atlanta Falcons (2-0) on Sunday at Ford Field, one day shy of the one-year anniversary of his injury.

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He takes the spot of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who tore his pectoral muscle in last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks and could miss the rest of the season.

Walker played nine defensive snaps in that game and none in the Lions' Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, all while dutifully filling his role as a backup, frustrating though it was.

A starter in the Lions' secondary for most of the 2019-21 seasons, Walker was expected to regain his starting role this summer, but was relegated to the second team when rookie Brian Branch won the slot cornerback job and the Lions moved Gardner-Johnson to safety.

"To be honest with you, it wasn’t the best situation, but I just had to learn that that was my new role at the moment," Walker said. "I’m a team player. At the end of the day, I’m going to support whatever (decision) the coaches make and whatever that decision is, that’s it. I got to just come out here and do my job 'cause ... I still have a role on this team and a lot of people rely on me."

The Lions will be relying on Walker the rest of the season to bring energy, leadership and heady play to a defense that ranks 26th in the NFL against the pass through two weeks.

The Falcons have one of the league's best rushing offenses, but also first-round picks at tight end (Kyle Pitts) and wide receiver (Drake London) who have diversified their passing game.

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"Having a guy like Tracy, who’s got time on task, somebody we got a lot of faith in, trust in, that alleviates a lot of pressure and stress for us, 'cause we know he’s game ready, he’s been in it, he hasn’t batted one eye at it," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "He just goes to work, and he does anything we ask him to do. He’s been playing special teams, been playing for us a little bit here so certainly he’s taken on a big role now. We have a ton of faith in Trace, so he’s another guy I’m glad he’s here with us."

Walker said going through his Achilles injury and rehab gave him the perspective he needed to deal with his unexpected benching this summer and emerge a better player.

Initially, he questioned why he got hurt, then came to realize it was a freak occurrence that was out of his control.

He opened training camp on time, 10 months after his injury, missed football enough that he embraced his role on special teams, and said he's a smarter, more mature player now than he was a season ago.

"I would have probably been a lot more pissed off before I got hurt if (I would have lost my job) compared to when I came back," he said. "So at the end of the day, just little things like that has made me better and I understand, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond."

Walker will be announced with the rest of the Lions defense during what he expects to be "very emotional" pre-game introductions this week.

A sell-out crowd at Ford Field will cheer his return, and he may take a minute to reflect on all he has been through.

"It’s going to definitely spark some emotions and some feelings," Walker said. "But at the end of the day, I still got to go out there and play ball. But I’m going to be so happy to fly around and y’all going to see 21 back out there and 21 going to make a lot of plays."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tracy Walker ready for Detroit Lions starting role after Achilles tear