Tennessee Titans undrafted free agent and defensive lineman Haskell Garrett will have to overcome the odds if he wants to make the team’s 53-man roster out of training camp, but that challenge pales in comparison to what the Ohio State product went through while at college.
Back in 2020, Garrett was walking home after a night out when he saw a man hit a woman. Garrett decided to step in and help the woman, but the man shot him in the face, with the bullet going through one cheek and out the other.
“I saw another man hit a woman and one of our core values at The Ohio State is Title IX, respect women,” Garrett told NFL Network back in April. “Immediately, my instincts are to go help that woman.
“I went over there, intervened and pushed him away from her. I look towards her and then when I looked back, everything just went black. Next thing I knew, I was picking myself up in a puddle of blood.”
After multiple oral surgeries, Haskell was able to return to the field a few months later, and just in time for the Buckeyes’ season-opener.
“I knew I wanted to be there for my team,” Garrett said after organized team activities last week, per John Glennon of Sports Illustrated. “I just wanted to be there for my brothers and ultimately, to showcase and have a chance to play football again.”
Garrett was one of three Titans UDFAs we considered among the best bets to secure a roster spot. After hearing this story, we’re even less inclined to bet against a man who showed incredible courage and resiliency in the face of unthinkable adversity.
