San Diego Chargers linebacker Larry English revealed Friday that he needed a second surgery on the left foot injury that hampered him last season.
"They put another screw in because something was off," English told the *North County Times* during an appearance at an Escondido, Calif., elementary school. "The doctors said it hadn't healed right or the foot was re-broken. Either way, we had to get it right during the offseason. It feels a lot better now and (I'm) optimistic about my foot's long-term health. Hopefully the second time's the charm."
English, the Chargers' first-round draft pick in 2009, played in all 16 games as a rookie, but he broke his foot during training camp last year. He attempted to play through the pain before allowing doctors to insert two screws into the foot. Unfortunately for English, that didn't completely fix the problem, so he needed the second procedure in March.
Now on the mend, English said he's ready to fulfill the high expectations that come with being a first-round pick. He has just five sacks in 24 career games.
"I'm excited to see what I can do when completely healthy," he said. "I know this defense. I feel confident in all of my responsibilities as a linebacker, many of which were new when I got drafted. I was ready to make a big leap last year, but I got hurt in training camp and never felt right. Once I complete this rehab, I'll be ready to play well and play fast."
