CHICAGO - Addison Ostrenga had a lot going for him in the fall of 2025.
Luke Lachey 's graduation meant that he was finally entrenched to be the No. 1 tight end for Iowa football - a position many dream of achieving, but few actually enjoy.
The 6-foot-4, 249-pound Ostrenga was indeed listed on the top of the depth chart, but his hopes of becoming the next star Hawkeye tight end went up in flames when he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury after attempting to catch a Mark Gronowski pass against Iowa State in Week 2.
D.J. Vonnahme became Iowa 's breakout tight end near the end of the regular season, but instead of pouting on the sidelines, Ostrenga battled the adversity head on, engaging with teammates during practice and always showcasing his strong leadership.
Ostrenga picked this up from Lachey, who himself battled through a season-ending injury early in the 2023 season.
"It takes a lot to really stay involved and do things and give to others," head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "And Addie followed that blueprint like he was so involved and just so part of our team. he's always had a great personality."
But this was last year.
Ostrenga is now back fully healthy and ready to play his fifth and final season for the Black and Gold. Although there were some usual hesitances early on trying to test his recovered leg, he's been fully practicing for the last two months - slightly ahead of his 8-12 month recovery schedule.
"I missed it [football] a lot. Last year was definitely one of the hardest things I've ever experienced. It definitely gave me a more appreciation of the game," Ostrenga said at Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday.
Though he is healthy again, Ostrenga is still likely going to have to fight for snaps. While Vonnahme will be the primary target for whoever emerges from Iowa's quarterback battle , senior Zach Ortwerth and highly-anticipated redshirt freshman Thomas Meyer could also fight for the No. 2 spot.
That level of competition can be intimidating for someone coming off of a devastating injury, but Ostrenga has no problem with it.
"I love to see as many tight ends on the field as they can," Ostrenga said. "We have such great room and a ton of guys that have stepped up in leadership roles, and I know are going to be very interesting."
Speaking of leadership, Ostrenga being selected as one of three Hawkeye representatives (and the only offensive player) at Big Ten Media Days isn't something to be taken lightly.
Players are usually selected based on their leadership qualities and on-field potential, so one would think that bodes well for Ostrenga's chances of playing a key role for the 2026 Hawkeyes.
"It's an honor to be able to be here to represent the university, our football team in the great state of Iowa, and it's an honor to represent my teammates as well," Ostrenga said. "They elected us to come here today, and it's just an honor to be a part of that."
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at bradschultz@roundtable.io
