Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Local product Winn makes comeback with help of wife
Green Bay defensive end Billy Winn encountered all kinds of adversity before making one of this season’s most improbable comebacks.
The 31-year-old Las Vegas High product found inspiration inside his home.
Whenever he wanted to feel sorry for himself over his injury misfortune, Winn needed only to witness his wife’s lupus battle to understand he had it comparatively easy.
“Anytime I come home and am like, ‘Oh, this hurts,’ I try to keep it to myself,” Winn said, “because I know what she’s going through, and it’s 100 times worse than what I’m going through.”
Winn’s NFL return is a testament to the power of perseverance. He has appeared in three games for the Packers, which marks his first regular-season NFL action since Jan. 1, 2017.
He overcame back issues to play all 16 games with Denver in 2016, which marked his fifth NFL season after stints with Indianapolis and Cleveland. Then the 2012 sixth-round draft pick from Boise State ran into all sorts of bad luck.
Winn suffered a brutal injury to his right knee when he was caught under a pile in an exhibition game. That knocked him out for 2017, and he didn’t catch on with any team for 2018.
He returned to the Broncos in 2019, but a preseason triceps injury knocked him out for the year.
Winn started thinking about life after football and was keeping tabs on job opportunities in college athletic administrations. A pep talk from his wife, Brooke, caused him to give it one more shot. She asked him if he wanted to have his career end because of injury.
“Just having her by my side every single day, driving me and pushing me to keep going, making sure I’m on top of my diet, making sure I’m on top of my cardio, that was a real deciding factor,” said Winn, who has been married three years. “She was like, ‘ You know what? I don’t think you’re done. You need to keep going.’ I said, ‘ You’re right. I can do this.’”
Winn’s opportunity came after Green Bay signed him to its practice squad Sept. 16. Eleven days later, he tipped a Drew Brees pass to help the Packers beat New Orleans in his first
regular-season game since 2016.
He was elevated from the practice squad for games with New Orleans and Atlanta before getting signed to the 53-man roster Oct. 24, one day before the Green Bay’s 35-20 win at Houston. Winn has played 23 defensive snaps and nine on special teams heading into Sunday’s game against Minnesota.
■ Eagles: Tight end Dallas Goedert (ankle) was activated from injured reserve, tight end Hakeem Butler was waived, and linebacker Nathan Gerry (Achilles) and defensive end Genard Avery (elbow) were placed on IR.
■ Cowboys: Quarterback Andy Dalton (concussion) was downgraded to out for Sunday, and right guard Zack Martin cleared concussion protocol.
■ Patriots: Cornerback Stephon Gilmore (knee) will miss his first regular-season game in three seasons Sunday.
■ Bears: Wide receiver Allen Robinson passed concussion protocol and will play Sunday.
■ Giants: Running back Devonta Freeman (ankle) was ruled out for Monday.
■ Browns: Wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge (hamstring) was activated from IR.
■ Colts: Wide receiver Michael Pittman (calf ) was activated from IR.
■ 49ers: Running back Tevin Coleman (knee) was activated from IR.