NFL Injuries: Which NFL stars deserve career re-do?

Danny Amendola can be considered an NFL success story no matter what, but had he stayed healthy throughout his career, he might be a Wes Welker-type of player.

Going undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2008, many had already compared Amendola to Welker, but he had to fight his way onto rosters for the rest of his career. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys and then cut right before the season before signing once again with the team’s practice squad.

Playing on the practice squad is an unheralded job and he bounced around to the Eagles’ practice squad the next season. Just weeks later in 2009, Amendola was signed by the St. Louis Rams to be on the active roster and that was the start of his rise.

In his first season, he caught 43 passes for 326 yards and no touchdowns while acting as the Rams’ kick and punt returner as well. The next year is when he really broke out, reeling in 85 receptions for 689 yards and three scores. He had 2,364 all-purpose yards in that season.

Amendola was blossoming into the player his former coaches believed he would be out of college, but then his career was derailed a bit as he played in just one game in 2011. In 2012, he suffered a clavicle injury in which it almost punctured his heart and took his life. He returned just three weeks later only to have his season ended early by a triceps injury.

The sure-handed wide receiver has played just one full season, 2014, since and he’s starting to get his confidence back with the New England Patriots, catching 65 passes for 648 yards and three scores in 2015.

Where would his career be if not for the buildup of injuries?

Next: 12. Jahvid Best