Outside linebacker B.J. Ojulari is mere days away from an injury anniversary he’d rather forget.
Two years ago in August, the Arizona Cardinals’ promising second-year pass-rusher tore his ACL during training camp, which ended his 2024 season and left him sidelined for nine more games in 2025.
Ojulari finally returned to the field for the final two months of last season, but only registered one sack in eight games as he re-acclimated to the workload of the NFL.
“When you get hurt, they tell you 9-to-12 (months recovery time), and you believe that,” Ojulari told Heavy in an exclusive interview. “But it really takes more sometimes. Everybody’s body is different. It depends on who the person is and how severe the injury was. So I had to come to terms with it. I had to come to terms with being patient. Trust the process.”
Ojulari Believes He Can Be Double-Digit Sack Artist
Despite two years of woes, Ojulari remains steadfast in his belief that an upper-tier pass-rusher still lurks within.
He had four sacks as a rookie and flashed impressive speed and bend on the edge — traits that can lead to humongous paydays for outside linebackers.
The Cardinals will begin their training camp on Thursday, and it’s a critical one for the fourth-year edge rusher.
While the injury slowed him, Ojulari said he finally began to feel like himself again this offseason, and says he can still become the double-digit sack guy the Cardinals envisioned when they drafted him in the second round in 2023.
“I believe in my ability,” he said.
Ojulari admits there have been a fair share of setbacks and mental hurdles, but he’s feeling good now and ready to live up to the internal and external expectations.
“It’s a tough mental battle, especially dealing with an injury like an ACL,” Ojulari said. “Most people think it’s physical, but it’s moreso mental. There are ups and downs with the recovery process, things not going your way. You may have some good days and some bad days, so your mindset changes often, but you have to continue just to go to work each and every day. My teammates held me high and kept me going each and every day. And I love them for that.”
Ojulari Holds Youth Camp With Brother
Ojulari trained in his native Georgia this offseason and held a youth camp in his hometown of Marietta last month with his brother, Falcons edge rusher Azeez.
B.J. said it’s important for them to positively impact the next generation of kids from his area.
“Doing it at home is one of the biggest things for us,” Ojulari said. “This is where we grew up. We want the kids to be able to see us and know that you can be successful, that you can make it to the NFL while starting in Marietta.”
HeavyB.J. Ojulari at his youth camp in Marietta, Georgia (Photo courtesy of Roc Nation Sports)
Azeez began the youth camps after he was drafted to the NFL in 2021 and B.J. then became the co-headliner once he became a professional.
“It was just an honor to be able to join him when I got to the NFL,” Ojulari said. “Doing it with him, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Growing up playing football together, it tells the story of how we did it together.”
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