by By Myles Simmons, Rams Insider
When Sam Bradford
found out in August that he had re-torn his ACL during the Rams’ third preseason game, he was crushed. The quarterback even admitted Tuesday afternoon that in the few days following the injury, he thought about hanging up his cleats for good.
“It was really tough that first week after the injury. There was part of me for a couple of days that [thought] I was done with football,” Bradford said. “I didn’t want to come back. I didn’t want to play. I was tired of rehabbing. I was just tired of the process.”
“But then when you step back and you’re away from the game for a while, and then you come back and you’re in the building, and you’re around your teammates — I quickly realized that I wasn’t done, and that I wanted to come back, and that I feel like I’ve still got a lot to prove,” Bradford continued. “So even though those feelings were there initially, it wasn’t long before the hunger came back and I knew that I wanted to play football again.”
Through leaning on his family and a good conversation with his former college quarterback’s coach, Bradford was able to re-focus. And now four months removed from that night in Cleveland, the signal-caller is well on the comeback trail.
“I’ve been running for the past couple of weeks,” Bradford said. “Really seem to have kind of turned the corner in the past three or four weeks as far as what I’m doing in rehab now, the weights I’m moving. There haven’t been any setbacks.”
The quarterback added that the rehab process overall has been less painful the second time around, and his full range of motion has come back quicker.
“When you were limping around as long as I was the last time, I think that’s helped,” Bradford said. “Seems like I’ve stayed a little looser. Last time, it seemed like everything in my lower body tightened up because, I would imagine, that there was some compensation going on. But I think it’s been a little smoother, especially at the beginning this time around.”
Bradford said that in some ways this season has been tougher on him mentally that last. That’s in part because he was not on the field during the regular season.
“At least last year, I got to play in seven games, and I felt like I was a part of it, that I contributed to what our team did,” Bradford said. “Getting hurt in the preseason and not being able to play in a regular-season game, having to miss all 16 and really not feeling like a part of the team — I think that was probably the hardest thing for me this year.”
Going down during that preseason game was challenging for the offense as a whole.
“It’s tough, man, because you’ve got three different quarterbacks that you have to get used to in a short span of time,” said tight end Jared Cook. “Three different quarterbacks throwing three different ways, calling cadences three different ways. It’s difficult. But those are the things that happen over the course of a season.”
Still, Bradford was involved, as he was often at practice and could be seen on the sideline during games. Shaun Hill said that Bradford’s experience in playing some of the more common opponents was particularly valuable.
“For me coming in and learning the offense and things like that, he was a huge help,” Hill said. “And obviously having his eyes on film — some of these opponents that he has more familiarity with than I do, especially these divisional opponents — that was great and helpful.”
As Bradford continues to rehab, though, there are no guarantees for the starting quarterback role. Head coach Jeff Fisher said on Tuesday that there will be competition at the position, which is something Bradford said he would accept.
“I feel like every time I step on that field, it’s a competition,” Bradford said. “Over the past couple of years, regardless of whether it’s been Kellen [Clemens] or Shaun, I’ve always thought of it as a competition. And no matter who’s in that room next year, I’d still feel that it would be a competition.”
The key, of course, will be making sure Bradford stays healthy. That’s a factor that linebackerJames Laurinaitis mentioned after the season finale in Seattle.
“I really believe he can do it in this league, and do it really well,” Laurinaitis said. “Maybe it’s bias, but I believe a lot of teams, especially in our division say, goodness, if they have No. 8 healthy all year, who knows how many different games are here and there.”
Fisher pointed out on Tuesday that since he became head coach, the Rams have had good divisional success with Bradford under center.
“Just looking at some numbers, Sam — since our arrival here — is 5-2-1 in the division, and the other quarterbacks are 2-8,” Fisher said. “I think that’s indicative of the type of talent that he has. Most of those wins came when this teams was not, in our opinion, as good as it is now.”
As for the coming offseason, Bradford will continue to work through his rehab. While there is not yet a target date set for his return, the quarterback is hoping this will be the last time he has to go through such a rigorous process. And after the last two seasons, he said he feels like there is a lot of unfinished business he would like to tend to.
“I think I said it last year, but you don’t really realize how much you love something until it’s taken away from you,” Bradford said. “And then to have it taken away again is really just crushing.”
“It’s just really tough to sit there and not be able to help out your guys,” Bradford continued. “It’s really a helpless feeling. I just want that opportunity to get back on the field and play football and have fun.”
And with the encouragement he’s felt from the community, Bradford wants to do that here with the Rams.
“You see fans all over the place and they’ve been extremely supportive,” Bradford said. “Can’t tell you how many people have said that they want to see me back on the field. They can’t wait. I tell them I’m trying my hardest to get back out there for them.”
“I think there’s a couple guys, not a ton, but a couple guys who have been in this locker room as long as I have, or even longer — specifically James and Chris [Long],” he added. “And just kind of talking to those guys, it seems like all three of us, we’re just ready to turn the corner and kind of take this organization back to where it was and where it needs to be.”
