Bears' Pernell McPhee Playing Through The Pain
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) Ask Bears linebacker Pernell McPhee about his knee injury, and he'll most likely deny he's hurt.
All last week, McPhee acted almost oblivious to his injury, as if he hadn't missed the previous game in St. Louis and wasn't listed as questionable to play against the Broncos. It's because the passionate McPhee hates missing games.
"I felt great, I felt great," McPhee said of his health after Sunday's loss to Denver. "A little cold out there."
But McPhee clearly wasn't himself this past Sunday, playing just 38 of the 69 defensive plays and only recording one tackle. At one point, he was slow to get up and returned to the sidelines to have his left leg wrapped in ice.
Finally, after being pressed further, McPhee conceded he's battling through the pain.
"Everybody is playing through pain, it's just how much pain you're playing with," McPhee said. "I've been playing through a pretty good level of pain. It's all right, though."
McPhee is the heart and soul of the Bears' defense. Named a team captain in his first season, McPhee has brought a palpable attitude to a unit needing some swagger.
Ever since he arrived in Chicago, McPhee has spoken of being "violent" on the field and attacking the quarterback. He's been the real deal for much of this 2015 season, recording 36 tackles and five sacks in nine games. But production has been hard when hurt.
McPhee has been far from healthy as of late. He's declined to shed light on what the injury is, how it happened or what the necessary recovery is, but a productive rehab most certainly doesn't involve playing football. Still, McPhee doesn't want to miss games.
McPhee has compensated by spending practices getting treatment on his knee, something difficult for a player who prides himself on intensity in practice. His status for Thursday's Thanksgiving game in Green Bay is in doubt, considering it's a short week with little time to recover. But McPhee is desperate to get on the field against the Packers.
The Bears, now 4-6, could use a win to climb up the NFC standings. McPhee was already feeling the motivation after Sunday's two-point loss to the Broncos.
"To look at each other in the eyes and at the end of the day say we gave it all we had for each other," McPhee said.
As one of the Bears' leaders, McPhee has felt obligated to play through injury, to tough out the pain and contribute. Team doctors will make the final determination on whether McPhee plays, with an important decision to make prior to kickoff on Thursday night.
McPhee wants to lead a resurgence for the Bears' defense, guiding a run to the playoffs. He's willing to play through the pain for that to happen.
"That brotherhood is like, 'We're not going to lay down this season,'" he said. "We just got to do a great job of getting ourselves ready for Green Bay and go win that game."
