Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Shemar Stewart walked into the locker room from practice on Sept. 2 with his teammates cheering him on as he was greeted by a group of at least 10 media members awaiting him at his locker.
Stewart returned to practice for the first time in over a month after hyperextending his knee on the first day of training camp practice on July 29.
“My foot got caught in the ground,” Stewart said of the injury. “It looked kind of nasty, as we all (saw). And in that moment, I felt like a little tiny pop. I thought it was over but thank God he was on my side. It wasn't that serious.”
From the moment the Bengals drafted Stewart with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to his recent injury, he’s become a bit of a polarizing
figure in Cincinnati.
Stewart’s position is mostly judged by productivity when it comes to sacks on a quarterback. At Texas A&M, Stewart didn’t have a ton of those. But he was still a very disruptive player who possesses rare physical traits.
Cincinnati’s front office drafted him because of the potential they saw in him. He was always going to be a player who needed as many reps as possible to try and develop.
It’s why his decision to not participate in the Bengals’ offseason program and the first few days of training camp was a decision that was perplexing and criticized by many.
A very positive sign: Shemar Stewart is about to go through team stretch with the Bengals
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) September 2, 2026
Stewart is in uniform, this is the first time that I’ve seen this since his injury, we’ll see how much - if he does anything at all - in practice #Bengals pic.twitter.com/SWjBMLXYvy
Stewart didn’t participate in Cincinnati’s offseason in 2025 because of a contract dispute with the club. Ultimately, the Bengals and Stewart were able to come to an agreement, and he started practicing three days after the start of camp.
Due to the time missed on the field, Stewart was always going to enter the season behind where the team wanted and needed him to be. Then, as he was starting to hit his stride, he suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 and missed three games.
Stewart battled back from the ankle injury and was then greeted with another obstacle to overcome when he suffered a knee injury in early November. He missed a month with this injury and was able to play in a total of eight games in his rookie season and recorded one sack.
The 2026 offseason was the first time Stewart was healthy with no distractions. He participated fully in the offseason workout program and was eager to make the most of a full training camp.
Until it didn’t happen.
“It sucks, but like I said, it could have been a year,” Stewart said. “So, who am I to complain? It's definitely inconvenient because I definitely need those reps. I definitely wanted those reps, but at the end of the day, I can't complain. It could have been a year easily, so I'm happy that I'm still able to play football this year.
“I'm just trying to get 1% better, try to keep a good attitude, and get back on the field with my teammates and my brothers.”
Stewart and the Bengals avoided what could have been a disaster.
The Bengals will ease Stewart back into practice. Stewart was unable to say if he would be able to play in Cincinnati’s regular season opener on Sept. 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He’s singularly focused on taking a day-to-day approach and said it felt good to be able to practice again.
Stewart said the hardest part of the rehab process with this specific injury was the flexibility of his knee.
If he’s able to make it back for the season opener, it’s likely his role would be in a limited capacity. The Bengals are fortunate that they are deep at the defensive end spot, giving Stewart a little more time to get back to full strength.
But there’s no question that when Stewart takes the field again for a game, he’ll do so with a greater appreciation for his job than ever.
“I've been working hard,” Stewart said. “I've been wanting to get back out there. Like I miss football. This is what I do. This is where I feel happiest. I (have) just been busting my tail trying to get back on the field.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'I thought it was over.’ | Shemar Stewart reflects on knee injury
