Numerous players have been invited to join the Seattle Seahawks rookie minicamp next weekend, but few have endured as many setbacks as former Arizona State safety Jordan Simone. He has finally been given an opportunity to try out for his hometown team.

Happy to announce that I'm 100% healthy and have been given an opportunity to play with my hometown team, the Seattle Seahawks. — Jordan Simone (@JordanSimone38) April 29, 2017

This dream-come-true for Simone seemed impossible back in 2015 when he tore his ACL in his third to last game as a member of the Arizona State Sun Devils. Simone did not let that stop him, however, and battled throughout his road to recovery.

But after rehabbing for eight months, a simple pop in his kneecap sent him all the way back to square one.

“I burst out straight forward and once I hit 10 yards, I heard a pop in my kneecap,” Simone said in a phone interview with Sports360AZ’s Brad Cesmat on Tuesday. “So I was like, ‘Aw jeez, I got to start all over again.’ Pretty much, I kind of hit my rock bottom with the injury, I was working so hard to get back . . . I didn’t know if I’d ever play again.”

Simone spent the year after college recuperating and working as a medical salesman for the doctor who performed his ACL surgery. He spent a lot of time reflecting on his journey and came to the conclusion he was not ready for his playing career to be over.

“It just ultimately came down to the fact that I still feel like I can play,” Simone said. “I feel like I can play in the league, and I always have.”

After being spotted at a local pro day by a Seahawks scout over a year ago, Simone stayed in touch. A year later when he attended the Arizona State pro day, he saw the same scout, who told him the team was still interested and invited him to minicamp.

Simone will have an uphill battle to make the Seahawks roster this season, as the team drafted four defensive backs to add depth to returning starters. But Simone is certainly no stranger to uphill battles.

“I think in life, and I think many people can agree with this, when you get kicked to the dirt and you stand up, you feel like you stand 10 feet higher because of what you went through,” Simone said. “These injuries have helped me mature as a man.

“I would love to play football for the rest of my life.”

Rookie minicamp is slated to begin Friday, May 12.