Cal’s top returning defensive player recovering from lower-body issue

A Cal football player is dealing with a medical issue that would’ve sidelined him for the spring. Even before the coronavirus changed the sporting landscape for the foreseeable future.

Over the weekend, Camryn Bynum posted a photo on his Instagram account of himself standing outside of the Surgery Center Division of the Sutter Health System. In the photo, Bynum is on crutches with some type of brace or cast-like device on his left leg. A wheelchair is in place next to him.

While the standout cornerback didn’t divulge any details, a Cal football official confirmed that Bynum is dealing with a lower-body issue. At this point, it’s unclear exactly when and how the defensive back sustained the injury.

God truly has an amazing way of giving us wake up calls. Temporarily losing the game and the grind I love is a test of faith that I will not fail. This is reminding me to always be thankful for the smallest things that seem so secure even though they aren’t. Being so deep into my grind and putting in so much work I felt like I was invincible and now I am forced to sit back and really reflect on it all and be thankful for being able to freely perfect my craft. Achieving greatness has a great cost, but I’m willing to pay. Greatness reschedules your plans for you, will put you in some deep dark holes, and demands everything out of you. I’m crazy and I absolutely LOVE adversity because I’m obsessed with the process more than anything. I’m thankful to God for this because like Job 2:10 says, should we accept good from God and not accept adversity? It’s a blessing because all of this is building a new relentless hunger into my DNA that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

The surgery would’ve knocked Bynum out for the whole of Cal spring football practice. Of course, the Pac-12 made that moot as they joined the other Power Five conferences in canceling spring football.

Named a Cal football captain ahead of the start of the 2019 season, Bynum set career-highs in tackles (63) and tackles for loss (three). His nine passes broken up were tops on the Golden Bears. Following the regular season, Bynum was named second-team All-Pac-12.

After redshirting as a true freshman in 2016, Bynum has started 38 straight games at corner for Cal football.