Tom Schreiber returns to practice for Archers with postseason return possible
· Yahoo Sports
When Brett Dobson got to the practice field last Thursday night in Boston, he was confused by the extra helmet laid out on the sideline.
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“Two-six?” he thought. “Oh, he’s back.”
When Aidan Maguire arrived and saw it, he turned to the Utah Archers’ team captain.
“Are you practicing?”
When Tom Schreiber confirmed that he was, the No. 1 pick’s face lit up.
“The lacrosse world needs Tom Schreiber back,” Dobson said.
Thursday was Schreiber’s first practice with the Archers since suffering a knee injury in Salt Lake City over a year ago. The three-time MVP had surgery on both of his knees in the fall and has been acting as another assistant coach for Utah while continuing to recover this summer.
Tom Schreiber’s practicing with the Archers in Boston this evening.
— Zach Carey (@Zach_Carey_) August 6, 2026
No. 26 is on his way back 👀
(via @PLLArchers) pic.twitter.com/LIVfzQAQ0t
Head coach Chris Bates emphasized that a potential Schreiber return in the postseason remains uncertain.
“We’re not sort of putting a lot of eggs in that basket,” Bates said. “The fact that he wanted to get out here … be with the boys, get the cleats on, get the helmet on is encouraging. We’ll see. That would obviously be a pretty unique add here late in the season.”
The Archers clinched a playoff spot by beating the Carolina Chaos on Friday night. They also secured a 99.99% chance of being the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and getting the bye to the semifinals in Salt Lake City. The only way they could be surpassed in the West would be if the Denver Outlaws beat the California Redwoods by 28 points or more on Sunday in Philadelphia.
Assuming that doesn’t happen, Utah’s next game will be in the semifinals on Monday, Sept. 7. That will be just over a month since Schreiber practiced in Boston, giving him ample time to ramp up to game shape if his recovery timeline permits.
Schreiber returning for the semifinal would be an incredible moment for him, the Archers and the Utah fanbase. He suffered season-ending injuries the last two times he played in Salt Lake City in 2024 and 2025. It would be his first game action since last July and his first playoff appearance since scoring the game-winning goal in the 2023 PLL Championship.
Whether that will happen is still uncertain. But Schreiber’s appearance in practice last Thursday was a step in the right direction.