LOS ANGELES — The triumphant return was preceded by a moment of panic.

Broncos tight end Jake Butt played his first preseason snaps Saturday since tearing his left ACL in practice last September, his third such injury after twice tearing his right ACL at Michigan, and Butt lasted all of one play against the Los Angeles Rams before limping back to the sideline.

Athletic trainers rushed to his aid. What happened?

“I don’t even know, honestly,” Butt said outside the visiting locker room at The Coliseum. “I felt like I needed to just shake something out in my leg.”

The false alarm, thankfully, was short-lived. Butt missed only a few snaps before running back out.

“Nothing was going to stop me,” he said.

The 2018 fifth-round draft pick erased any worry with a solid performance in a football return of nearly one year in the making. Butt said he “felt good” on 11 snaps played with two receptions for 17 yards. He took on blockers, split out as a wide receiver on some plays and showcased quick feet in route running, albeit in a small sample size.

“That man has been through a lot, and he’s worked harder than anybody I’ve ever seen work.” On Broncos TE Jake Butt’s return from a third ACL tear (and his two catches from Saturday night) https://t.co/6KrOnKLm0t pic.twitter.com/hHL5D3PI8I — Kyle Fredrickson (@kylefredrickson) August 26, 2019

Coach Vic Fangio kept Butt to a strict snap limit as part of the slow process of reintroducing him to full team practice and live-game settings.

“I thought he did well, caught a couple of balls and was active in there,” Fangio said. “I saw him run some good routes where the ball didn’t even go to him. Based on what I saw in live action, which isn’t everything, I think he’ll probably be pleased with his play.”

Elijah Wilkinson, the Broncos’ starting right guard Saturday, was roommates with Butt last season and told reporters the first word that comes to mind to describe him is “perseverance.”

“That man has been through a lot, and he’s worked harder than anybody I’ve ever seen work,” Wilkinson said. “It’s kudos for him getting back on the field.”

Added linebacker Keishawn Bierria: “We’re proud of that dude. Everybody knows that Jake is a (great) player. For him to go down with such weird injuries, everybody is just happy to see him back out there making plays.”

Butt’s speedy recovery from his first two Michigan ACL injuries led him to believe his third would be a breeze, but “this one put reality into check,” he said. Fangio described Butt’s training camp health setbacks as “potholes” while he watched the majority of practices from the sidelines with strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow. Butt might have been in danger of missing the 53-man roster cut if he didn’t showcase some preseason progress.

Once Butt moved past his first-snap scare, and the jitters disappeared, he made a strong statement for what could lie ahead this season. Several injuries to the tight ends and the still unknown potential of No. 20 pick Noah Fant present Butt an opportunity to move up the depth chart.

“I’ve turned the corner and am feeling good,” Butt said. “I want to put together a good, healthy season.”