GREEN BAY – Christian Watson could've had a full offseason to sulk over how his 2024 campaign ended if he'd so chosen.
But that's never been his style.
After tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the Packers' regular-season finale against Chicago, Watson picked himself up and immediately set out on the comeback trail.
Any time that may have been available for Watson to feel sorry about his situation was put toward the fourth-year receiver getting back on the field as soon as humanly possible.
"It's definitely tough. Anytime you have an injury like this, it's definitely going to take its toll on you," said Watson after practice on Wednesday.
"But I've gone through a lot of adversity. Nothing like this, but I feel like I was calloused for it a little bit and I had the right mentality going into it and it's been keeping that the whole way through."
Perhaps that mindset is why Watson looks this good this soon. While there is no timetable on Watson's return to action, Head Coach Matt LaFleur and General Manager Brian Gutekunst have given Watson rave reviews for how he's attacked his rehab.
Fans at Nitschke Field have been treated to some of it since the start of training camp last month, as the 6-foot-4, 208-pound receiver often can be seen running sprints during practice.
As of Tuesday, it's been exactly seven months since Watson's right knee gave out near midfield against Chicago. He'd never torn his ACL before but knew immediately what was wrong.
"You kind of know your body and when you feel something like that you just kind of know, unfortunately," Watson said.
It was a tough blow for Watson, who's in a contract year and was one of the NFL's most explosive wideouts last season. Bouncing back from the hamstring injuries that hampered him in 2023, Watson had 29 catches for 620 yards (20.9 yards per reception) through the first 15 games last year.
Watson underwent reconstructive knee surgery a couple weeks after the Packers' wild-card loss to Philadelphia before heading home to Florida to get his rehab in full swing.
While working out in Davie, Watson connected with veteran receiver Stefon Diggs, who tore his ACL last October. The four-time Pro Bowler provided a lot of insight into the process that helped Watson begin to run his own race.
Watson also ran into a familiar face in Florida – fellow Packers wideout Jayden Reed, who's been impressed with how his teammate has responded in the wake of the ACL injury.
"His spirit's been great," Reed said. "He's always kept a smile on his face, and I really commend him for that because it's not easy just watching every day. I know how that feels. He's done a great job of being a great leader, coaching us up whenever we need it. He's just been great. I'm excited for his return."
Watson stayed around the team throughout the offseason program, providing a valuable resource to a receiving corps packed with young playmakers.
The Packers not only returned Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks at the top of the depth chart but also drafted two more prospects this past April: Texas' Matthew Golden in the first round and TCU's Savion Williams in the third.
As the competition heats up in that room, it's only further motivated Watson in his own rehab and workouts.
"It's easier to really get after it when you've got other guys getting after it, too," Watson said. "They've definitely got the right mentality, as soon as they walked in, and we've all seen it out there, them making plays."
The challenge for the Packers has been balancing Watson's resiliency with the scale of his injury. Proceeding with cautious optimism, the team continues to practice patience, and Watson is fully on board with that plan.
In some areas, the 26-year-old receiver feels 100% again. He's running without limitation and feels confident with his cuts but also acknowledges he's not going full blast yet.
One thing Watson says without hesitation is he's still the fastest player in a Packers uniform, and he looks forward to putting that on display once No. 9 is back on the practice field.
"No doubt," said Watson when asked if he's still the fastest player on the team. "I've been saying it to everybody who has anything to say. I'll race anybody right now and I'm still taking the dub."
There is no "woe is me" in Watson's larynx. He hasn't let last season's disappointment distract him from this year's goals.
To get back on the field, he's adhering to a strict "one day at a time" mentality while looking forward to the plan the training staff gives him each day. When the green light comes, Watson is eager to show the football world he still has much left to give.
"It's just life," Watson said. "I know that there's way worse situations that I could be dealing with than getting to play at the highest level and having to deal with some stuff that happens to be a part of the game.
"It's a tough sport, a lot on the body, but I'm just grateful for where I'm at regardless of the situation, appreciative of that. I always kind of fall back on that, embracing God's plan."
