You tore your ACL in the playoffs last year, and in just nine months, you were back on the field in your starting role. How did you do that?
I didn’t miss a day of rehab. When I got my surgery done with Dr. Andrews in Pensacola, Florida, he told me missing one day of rehab is like missing a whole week of work, so I wasn’t going to miss a single day.
When you stepped onto the field opening night, did you feel confident that you were ready to go?
I felt good enough to play. I missed the preseason, so I wasn’t really in game shape quite yet. I started to feel like I was back to 100% around Week 10.
Wait a second. You had a Pro Bowl year. You didn’t give up a touchdown all season. You didn’t feel 100% until Week 10?
My knee was fine. It felt strong. It was really more about the rest of my body catching up. It was a very different year for me. I had no OTA’s, no preseason. Just playing in games, it’s very different. Maybe next year, going through a full offseason, it might be a different experience.
Well, given how you’ve performed, you’ve made a great case for guys who want to avoid OTA’s and training camp.
(Laughs) If I don’t have to do that, I’d be fine with that too.
How does playing on a team with such a high-powered offense prepare you for what you have to face every week.
It’s a huge help. Always. We always get a great look in practice, whether it’s DT (Demaryius Thomas) or Emmanuel Sanders. You get two very different kinds of receivers. One is a very big target, the other is smaller but has incredible speed. Between that and Peyton, you’ll be ready for anything.
You are the first undrafted cornerback to make the Pro Bowl with his first team since Everson Walls did it with the Cowboys in 1981. That’s a long time. Do you take pride in that?
I definitely take pride. I have a unique story for people to see, from going undrafted to getting a five year contract extension. It doesn’t matter how you get to the NFL, it’s what you do when you’re here.
This was a big year in your life. You came back from a big injury, you made the Pro Bowl, you signed a new five-year deal, and you now have a beautiful daughter with your wife, Leah. Is there anything left to do?
The only thing left is to win the Super Bowl. I missed the opportunity to play in it last year because I got hurt. I’m going to make the most of the opportunity this year.
