Carolina Panthers DT Star Lotulelei happy to be healthy this time

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Star Lotulelei watched the first half of last year’s playoff loss to Seattle from a sushi restaurant in SouthPark. He’ll have a better vantage point Sunday when he starts his third postseason game in as many seasons.

Lotulelei, the Panthers’ first-round pick in 2013, broke his foot before the divisional-round game against the Seahawks last year when he stepped on a teammate’s foot at practice. He had surgery the next day and missed the trip to Seattle.

“It’s great to be healthy at this point of the season,” Lotulelei said Wednesday. “Just to have the opportunity to be in the playoffs with the situation that we’re in (with) home-field advantage facing a team like Seattle, it’s going to be good.”

Lotulelei missed most of training camp and the first two games after suffering a stress reaction in his foot. He returned to start 14 games, recording 25 tackles, one sack and five quarterback pressures.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Carolina Panthers DT Star Lotulelei happy to be healthy this time."