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Linebacker Sean Spence is not participating in OTAs, but spoke after Wednesday's session.How bad was your knee injury?**It was a pretty bad injury. But I would say I've made huge jump from where I was when I got injured to where I'm at now. I'm just continuing to get better each and every day.
What's holding you back right now, if you had to point at one thing?I'd probably say the nerve damage. It's healing, it's healing slow, but I'm making progress each and every week.
What did they have to do to it?Nothing. It had to just heal on its own.
What did you hurt? The MCL, the PCL…The ACL, PCL, and the LCL.
The nerve damage came after that.Yeah.
A lot of people who have that never recover.I know.
Are you looking to buck the odds?I know I'm going to beat the odds. I'm not even worried about that. The progress that I have made, the doctors say that I've already beat the odds. I'm just keeping my faith in God and knowing he's going to give me another chance.
Can you run or anything?Yeah, I can run. I can do everything pretty much. I'm just staying out of OTAs right now and just continuing to work.
Coach Keith Butler back in April said that you may not play this year and then Coach Mike Tomlin said that you are on track. Is this year the goal?Yes, no doubt. Like I said, I'm going to continue attack this like I'm going to play this year. I'm in meetings and preparing as if I'm practicing. I'm just going to continue to get better and I'm looking forward to the season.
What is the timeline for you?I don't really know. Just some time during the season I'll be back.
At any point did you think that this was all too much?Probably the first game after surgery and watching those guys, it was very disappointing for me because I always had hopes of making the team. Then you make it through all the preseason games and get to the last preseason game and have a season-ending injury. It would affect anybody. I learned from it. I'm humbled by the situation and I'm just going to continue moving forward.
Did you ever think about taking another year off and being 100% for next year?You always want to play it safe, but if I'm good enough to go I'm going to go. If not, I'll wait and take things slow. If I feel like I can trust myself in doing what I know I can do, then I'm going to go.
What are the results of that nerve damage? Is it numb? Can you not bend it?I can't really explain it and put my finger on it, it's just a difficult situation.
Re: Having the support of the coaches and front office as you rehab:Just to have the whole support of the organization and my coaches, it does feel good.
Have you watched the injury?Yeah. At first I didn't want to watch it. As time went by I finally watched it. I remember the play like it was yesterday, though.
Can you talk us through it?It was a blitz. I beat the back and once I beat the back the quarterback flushed. I got pushed in the back by the running back and I think I over-strided and stopped and I knew right away something wasn't right.
The knee didn't go the same direction as the other one.It went back.
Did it hurt?It didn't hurt as much as it should have hurt. I think I was in shock.
How are you with learning the defense?I think I'm up to speed. I know this defense pretty well. I'm still learning from guys like Larry Foote. I sit next to him in meetings and I'm out here taking these mental reps. They're just as good as physical reps.
