INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts receiver Austin Collie doesn't want to talk about the violent hit that left him with a concussion.
He just wants to get healthy enough to play.
In a written statement issued through a team spokesman Thursday, Collie thanked fans for their thoughts and prayers and acknowledged he is feeling better.
"I understand everyone's concern, but I prefer not to discuss the specifics of the play in Philadelphia. I hope that can be respected," he said. "It was a football play. And that's part of football. Now I want to focus my efforts on continuing the gradual process of getting back on the field and helping our team."
Collie has not spoken with reporters since the frightening scene Nov. 7.
Moments after getting his hands on a pass from Peyton Manning, Collie turned to run up the field and was sandwiched between two Eagles defenders. Kurt Coleman made an inadvertent helmet-to-helmet hit on Collie, who crumpled to the ground with his arms frozen.
After about 10 minutes, he was placed on a backboard and taken to the locker room on a stretcher. At halftime of the game, Colts President Bill Polian said Collie was alert and sitting up.
The Eagles were penalized 15 yards for hitting a defenseless receiver. The NFL, which has been handing down heavier fines and threatening to suspend players for dangerous hits, did not levy any additional sanctions.
Polian and Indy's defensive players have said they did not believe Coleman's hit was intentional and that he should not be fined.
"My personal feeling is that the rules we have established would go a long way to protecting players and helping the problem," Polian told a listener on his weekly radio show Monday. "But in the end we still have a hard plastic helmet hitting another hard plastic helmet at speeds up to 40 mph."
The concussion forced Collie to miss all three practices last week and the Colts held him out of Sunday's game against Cincinnati, too.
"Every day I feel like I am improving, and it was great to get back on the field in some capacity Wednesday," he said. "The doctors and training staff here have been tremendous. I can't say that enough."
While Collie returned to work Wednesday, four-time Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne sat out with a knee injury. He went through a full practice Thursday. Wayne has started 112 consecutive regular-season games and played in last season's Super Bowl despite hurting his knee in practice that week.
Middle linebacker Gary Brackett (turf toe), tight end Brody Eldridge (ribs), running back Mike Hart (sprained ankle), linebacker Clint Session (dislocated right elbow) and cornerback Justin Tryon (foot) have not practiced this week and may not play at New England.
Running back Joseph Addai did limited work for the first since hurting his left shoulder at Washington on Oct. 17, and receiver Blair White (shoulder) was a full participant after doing limited work Wednesday.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
