Brian Urlacher Undergoes Knee Surgery; Says He’ll Be Ready By Season Opener

Star Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier today but still expects to be on the field for his team’s season opener in September.

Urlacher, who sprained the MCL and PCL in his left knee during last year’s season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, had been suffering from pain and swelling after practicing in training camp last month.

The club shut him down after July 31 and then he took a week off for what the club termed “personal reasons.”

“We decided it was best to be as conservative and careful as we could to give him the rest he needed,” Bears general manager Phil Emery told “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “He had that rest. He felt better. He came back. He started practicing.”

CBS Sports writes that on Monday (August 14), however, Urlacher’s pain and swelling had not dissipated completely. At the point, the team must have decided that the surgery was the best option for him.

“I just think I did a lot of movements I hadn’t done in a long time and being out there for 2 ½, three hours probably doesn’t help, running around,” Urlacher told Fox, via the Tribune. “But it’s practice. You gotta do it. I think just the shock of being out there so long and doing so many movements like that was too much for my knee.

As for Urlacher’s knee operation, Ememry described it as nothing major, just “a cleanup procedure” to try to relieve some of the swelling so that the soreness would go away and Brian would be ready for the home opener against the Colts on September 9.

ESPN has more on Brian Urlacher’s knee injury and the impact his absence will have on the Chicago Bears in the video at this link.