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#McKenzie Milton’s heartwarming Florida State comeback comes up just short

“#McKenzie Milton’s heartwarming Florida State comeback comes up just short”

McKenzie Milton had a near-storybook return to football.

Playing in his first game since suffering a catastrophic knee injury that threatened his ability to ever walk again, Milton spearheaded Florida State’s fourth-quarter rally to force overtime against No. 9 Notre Dame Sunday night.

Milton was inserted into the game when starting quarterback Jordan Travis lost his helmet and was forced to retreat to the sideline, per NCAA rules. But Milton was successful in his first play, connecting with wide receiver Ja’Khi Douglas for a 22-yard gain.

“It was one of those bang-bang moments,” Milton told reporters of being told he was going in. “You just got to be engaged and ready to go on the sidelines. It was time to roll. I didn’t really have time to process any of the emotions or things like that. A job had to be done to give us a chance to win the game, and just came up short.”

The 23-year-old completed three more passes on the drive, which culminated to a two-yard touchdown run by running back Treshaun Ward. Travis was eligible to return, but he was dealing with cramps.

Head coach Mike Norvell opted to keep Milton in for the remainder of regulation and into overtime.

“I couldn’t get the smile off my face,” Travis said of Milton, who finished the game 5-of-7 for 48 yards. “To see him run on the field, it gave me chills. He’s a great dude. I’m so happy to see him on the field performing, and I’m blessed to have him on my team.”

The Seminoles ultimately lost their 2021 season opener, 41-38.

On November 23, 2018, while playing for UCF, Milton was tackled early in the second quarter and removed from the game with a dislocated knee. Upon examination, doctors discovered extensive damage to the arteries and nerves in his right knee.

Milton underwent three procedures before reconstructive surgery. After getting back to walking by late spring of 2019, Milton woke up in pain one day and needed to have pus drawn out, which led to another surgery. The infection nearly forced doctors to amputate his leg, setting his recovery back six months.

Working his way back onto the field, Milton was able to run the scout team at UCF last year. Milton announced last December that he as seeking a transfer for the 2021 season, stating that he believes “It’s [UCF quarterback] Dillon Gabriel’s team now.”

Shortly after, Milton transferred to FSU.

“It was three years ago when I was playing ball. I was definitely grateful to be out there playing with the guys,” Milton said. “We went through a lot of hard training through January up to this point. We all got a bunch of bruises. I’m just super proud of the way our guys fought today.”

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