The new surgery that could potentially have Brian Branch back with the Lions for Week 1 of the 2026 season
If Brian Branch is able to have this surgery, here’s a chance he could be back at the start of next season
Before we jump in, it’s critical to note a few things. Every player is different, every tear is different, and every treatment plan is different. We don’t know exactly where Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch tore his Achilles tendon or how bad the tear is.
We’re not doctors, and we’re not advocating that this is the best way for Branch to go. We’re also not saying he could have gotten this particular surgery, or that if he did, he could recover as fast as you want him to. There is nothing guaranteed about any of this. But it is a potential option, and if this is the way Branch went, it could have big results.
In July 2021, Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers tore his Achilles tendon during training camp, and then surprised everyone when he played in January of that same season. In five and a half months, he returned and was ready to play despite an injury that was expected to require an eight-to-12-month recovery. So, what happened?
Lions safety Brian Branch could potentially be ready for a return in Week 1 if he qualified for, and did the speed bridge surgery
Last Tuesday, we spoke with the Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee’s Director of Rehabilitation Services and former NFL offensive lineman Dave Kempfert about injuries, and he mentioned the Speed Bridge procedure.
“There is often an option for what is called the SpeedBridge surgery for Achilles ruptures,” Kempfert said. “This is potentially why we have seen NFL players, such as Cam Akers, return to sport faster. Again, I am not familiar at all with the specifics of Brian Branch’s injury and would not advocate for a particular course of treatment, as that decision is left to his physician. However, the SpeedBridge surgery is another example of an advancing medical technique used to return athletes back to the field faster.”
“The decision for any surgery depends on so many things: the severity of the injury, the location of the injury, the familiarity of a physician with the procedure, the position of the athlete, the timelines for tissue healing and return to play, etc,” Kempfert continued.
“For most people, it’s going to be a year or more to return to full activity after an Achilles repair, and that depends not only on the surgical technique but on the quality of the rehab, the effort of the patient, and the physical makeup of the patient as well. With this surgery, we have seen people return as early as 5–7 months to elite-level competitive sport.”
That’s a big deal if, and it’s significant if, Branch did it. So how does it work? Kempfert explained the surgical process to us as well, and it’s remarkable what you can do with the human body these days.
“From my understanding of the surgery — and I am not a surgeon — it is basically a knotless procedure that uses strong suture tape and anchors for secure tensioning of the repair and allows for a good ‘footprint’ to reattach the Achilles,” Kempfert said. “The surgical technique depends upon the area of the tear. If the tear occurs near the tendon’s end, they can increase stability with increased compression being achieved against the bone.
“With a mid-substance or mid-range kind of tear, a jig is used that goes alongside the torn tendon, allowing the surgeon to pass several horizontal sutures and fiber tape through the Achilles, drawn down to the bottom part of the tear, create an anchor, and pull the tendon together for a very strong repair without tying any knots, which can be a potential weak point. The advantages are a stronger repair and a less invasive surgery that can allow for an earlier start of rehabilitation and weight-bearing faster than with traditional Achilles tendon repair.”
At this point, we don’t know what Branch’s timeline is. We know he had the surgery earlier last week. If he could undergo this procedure, it would likely help him return more quickly.
If he can do the same thing Akers did and return in about five and a half months, that would put him on the field at training camp in August. That would be huge for the Lions. We’ll see what happens down the road.
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