On locker room clean-out day, Falcons strong safety Keanu Neal, who suffered a season-ending knee surgery in the season opener, gave an update on his rehabilitation.
(NOTE: Neal was interviewed before the firings of all three coordinators were announced.)
Here’s what Neal had to say:
On his injury and the season: "It was tough to go out the first game of the season and have to sit out for the rest (of the season.) Guys came in and battled. (Sharrod) Neasman and Jordan (Richards) did a great job of coming in, battling and getting after it. So, I'm proud of the guys going out each week, giving their all and playing as hard as they can. Laying it all out there."
On the rehab after knee surgery: "I've got to get back. I'm doing everything that I can. I'm just working it. Taking it a day at a time. Treating the rehab like practice. I'm getting after it and taking it from there."
On the timetable for his return: "I'm just taking it day by day. Putting in the work and letting everything else take care of itself."
On how many hours a day he's working: "It's a few hours. It's a process. I put in a lot throughout the day, each day. It's a grind for sure."
On staying patience with the recovery: "You just have to appreciate the small victories. You can look too far in to the future. You just have to take it a day at a time and appreciate the little things."
On the rash of injuries over three weeks: "It' was kind of crazy how it did happen. You've got me, Debo (Deion Jones) and Rico (Ricardo Allen) going down within the same, a close time frame. But like Q (Dan Quinn) always says, next man up. You have to move forward. You just have to keep grinding."
On the returning to the game after he suffered the knee injury: "I just felt like I had to go back out there. It went back out there. That's my mentality. That's who I am."
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