Brian Urlacher: I’m Playing On Sunday

Chicago Bears Pro-bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher says he expects to take the field on Sunday when the Bears open the regular season against the Indianapolis Colts. Urlacher missed most of training camp and all of the offseason program after undergoing knee surgery.

In an interview on WFLD-Channel 32’s The Final Word, Urlacher admitted that his left knee “isn’t the same anymore” and “will never be the same” before announcing:

“I’m playing Sunday. That’s a done deal.”

Brian Urlacher was injured in the final game of the 2011 regular-season when he sprained the medial collateral and posterior cruticate ligaments in his left knee. Urlacher underwent arthroscopic clean-up on August 14. Before his surgery, the Chicago Tribune claims that the pro-bowler had traveled overseas to seek out a non-surgical solution.

Urlacher was being the chance to test out his knee during a Chicago Bears practice on Monday morning at Halas Hall, just a short period of time after completing his rehab cycle.

Speaking of his recovery, Brian Urlacher said:

“(The left knee) feels much better now. I have been running around quite a bit, not with the team in practice, I have been taking it really slow like Coach Smith said we would. Everything they are going to let me do, I’ll do. There is going to be some restrictions on what I can do because they don’t want to overwork me too early. It’s a long season. There will be some restrictions but there won’t be restrictions in the game on Sunday.”

Urlacher has not missed a game since 2009, although he has missed 24 since being drafted to the NFL in 2000.