A decade-long career in the NFL can leave two very different legacies. For some, the game becomes a memory. For others, it reverberates in medical records. Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Don Majkowski falls firmly into the latter category. His playing days were marked by significant injuries, and the physical toll has only deepened in retirement. This week, he shared another update, confirming he has now undergone his 29th surgery.

“Surgery updates 2023-2026: R Glute. Hip Replacement. 3 rotator cuff surgeries. Today Surgery #29: L3-L4 lumbar fusion. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼,” Majkowski shared via his X handle while sharing a picture of himself from a hospital bed, with his wife holding his hand.

That latest procedure, an L3-L4 lumbar fusion, ties back to the spine issues that have followed him for years. And to understand how he got here, you have to rewind.

Even before the 1987 NFL Draft, Majkowski’s body had started absorbing punishment. Four games into his senior season in 1986, he injured his throwing shoulder. While he missed three games, he rushed back into the lineup with minimal rehab.

The toughness was unquestioned, and the long-term cost wasn’t fully understood. By draft week, 12 quarterbacks had already been selected before his name was called. The Packers eventually took him in the 10th round of the 1987 draft. His first two seasons in Green Bay were quiet. Then came 1989. Majkowski led the league with 4,318 passing yards and threw 27 touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl nod. San Francisco 49ers head coach George Seifert compared him to Joe Montana, and the “Majik Man” nickname stuck.

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For a moment, he looked like the franchise quarterback the Packers had been searching for. However, things unraveled quickly from here on. In 1990, after signing a one-year contract, his season ended in the tenth game when Freddie Joe Nunn upended him onto his shoulder, tearing his rotator cuff. What many initially thought was a bruise turned into the injury that altered his trajectory.

“That 1990 shoulder injury killed my career,” he said a few years back. “I played six more years, but it was through incredible pain in that shoulder. My shoulder never came back to its normal shape like it was before then. I always had to keep it to myself. I had to keep everything to myself because I wanted to continue to play.”

From there, stability was hard to find. He was benched early in 1991 before reclaiming the starting job. Then, on September 20, 1992, against the Cincinnati Bengals, he tore a ligament in his ankle in the first quarter. That was the day Brett Favre stepped in and eventually became the Packers’ long-term answer. Majkowski, meanwhile, battled lingering issues.

After Green Bay committed to Favre, Majkowski spent the final four seasons of his career with the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions, fully aware his Pro Bowl peak was behind him. And the injuries kept coming. In 1994, with the Colts, after completing a pass, defensive end Terry Wooden came in unblocked and drove his head into the unforgiving Kingdome turf, causing a concussion, adding to the wear and tear on his body.

Fast forward a couple of years, and his ankle complications returned, knocking on his window, as it deteriorated further with the Lions in 1996. He underwent surgery by Dr. James Andrews in June and was told recovery would take three months. That timeline meant missing preseason. However, he chose to play anyway, a decision he still reflects on.

“My ankle was 60 percent, and they (Lions) need me to start a preseason game in Detroit,” he said. “They asked if I could be dependable. I went out there and played and it numbed up. I tore it up, and it’s affected me the rest of my life. That’s what messed it up real bad. That was the start of the nightmare with my ankle. My ankle was so bad. It was awful. It got so swollen every day after practice. I could’ve easily played three more seasons without that.”

The swelling became constant. The damage was permanent. That season ended up being his last in the NFL. By then, his shoulder and ankle had already required multiple procedures, including 11 ankle surgeries over time and several shoulder operations. But the toll didn’t stop there. Majkowski later developed severe back and neck complications.

His lower back was fused and required an artificial disc. He described his back surgery as being “gutted” like a fish. Surgeons had to go through his chest cavity to access his spine, with a vascular surgeon assisting because of the complexity. His organs were temporarily moved aside to reach the damaged vertebrae.

Then, in 2020, he underwent two neck surgeries within six months. First, a posterior procedure. When that failed, surgeons operated from the front, leaving a visible scar near his jugular and inserting two plates and eight screws. Add in chronic concussion effects and degenerative hip damage that led to a hip replacement, and the picture becomes clear. The list of injuries was extensive: shoulder, ankle, back, neck, hip, and concussion. And now, at 61, an L3-L4 lumbar fusion.

After surgery No. 29, the well-wishes are pouring in.

Prayers pour in for Don Majkowski after his recent surgery

Once Don Majkowski shared his health update, the reaction was immediate, filled with support, empathy, and shared experience. One fan simply wrote, “🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻prayers for you and your family!” It wasn’t long or dramatic. Just direct. After everything Majkowski has endured, sometimes that’s all people feel is necessary: prayer, strength, and acknowledgment of what he and his family are carrying.

Others connected on a deeper, almost clinical level. “Good luck brother! I am fused and L3-L4, and C6-T2. I am scheduled for a fusion of L4-L5 in March! You are stronger than you could ever imagine.” That’s not just encouragement. That’s someone walking a similar medical road, recognizing the grind behind the headlines.

Some responses were shorter but no less sincere. “Best to you Majik.” And another added, “I hope you heal up quickly Majik.” No analysis. No football nostalgia. Just straightforward well-wishes for a quarterback whose fight now has nothing to do with passing yards and everything to do with recovery timelines.

Then there was a shared perspective from someone staring at the same surgery. “Having the same surgery in 36 days brother. Think of how much better we will feel afterwards. Go Pack Go.” It’s a reminder that Majkowski’s battle resonates beyond football.

It’s about resilience and believing better days are ahead. The game once defined him. Now, it’s the community that stands beside him.